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Trees That Grow in Coniferous Forests

Coniferous forests are found around the world, including in Canada, Europe, Asia and the United States. They exist in regions with long, cold winters and warm, humid summers. These coniferous forests are composed primarily of towering conifer trees, such as spruces, pines and firs, that share many common characteristics. However, they are also distinct in many ways, including their size, needles, cones and bark.

Shared Conifer Characteristics
- Conifer trees share several characteristics that make them distinct from other types of trees. First, conifers produce needles rather than leaves. Second, conifers produce cones rather than flowers. Third, they are evergreen, meaning they bear needles all year long. These trees require the moderate to high levels of annual precipitation typical of the areas where they grow. Conifers are also sturdy trees, enabling them to easily handle heavy winter snows.
Spruce Trees
- There are 40 species of the spruce. These conifers reach heights of 60 to 80 feet, with a diameter of 24 inches. The lower branches of a spruce tree curve upward. Their needles are stiff and square, and they have sharp points. The needles are individually attached to their branches by small, stalk-like woody pegs. These pegs remain even after the needles have been shed, producing a branch with rough texture. Spruce cones have very thin scales, causing them to be more flexible than pine cones. These cones hang down from their branches. Spruce bark is rough and becomes scaly with age. The wood of the spruce is strong and yellow-white in color.
Pine Trees
- The pine tree is the most common conifer in the world. There are almost 100 species, including more than 30 in North America. Pines reach heights of more than 100 feet, with diameters up to 48 inches. Pine trees are unique in that their needles are attached to the branches in groups, or bundles, of two, three or five. Their cones are rigid, with thick scales. Mature pines display flaky bark that is reddish-brown in color. Pine branches typically grow in rings that are called whorls. One whorl equals one year of growth. Mature pine tree branches begin quite a distance up the trunk, rather than at ground level. Pine trees prefer lots of sunlight and, therefore, they typically grow in a more spread-out pattern.
Fir Trees
- Fir trees are also referred to as balsam firs because of the tiny pockets of resin, or balsam, found in their bark. They are medium-sized trees, reaching heights of 40 to 60 feet, with diameters of between nine and 20 inches. Like the spruce, their needles are individually attached to their branches. Unlike the spruce, they are directly attached without any pegs, which creates a very smooth branch. Their cones are unique in that they stand upright on the upper branches, like owls sitting on a limb. Furthermore, the scales fall off when the seeds ripen. The bark of the fir is smooth and grayish, but furrows with age. The fir features short, stiff branches that form a symmetrical, slender pyramid shape.

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