14 Evergreen trees in Virginia

The state of Virginia is, in fact, the largest producer of Christmas trees in the entire United States. Virginia’s most commonly grown tree is the Virginia Pine that can grow up to 70 feet tall, and it provides gorgeous green pine needles year round. Virginia also has many other types of evergreen trees, read on to find out which.

The climate of Virginia is very hospitable to pine trees. This is what makes Virginia such a great place to grow them and, in turn, such a good place to sell pines as Christmas trees. Virginia’s evergreen trees bloom between April and May (mostly in April).

Evergreen trees are trees that stay green all year round. They are also called “coniferous” trees, because they bear cones. Let’s get into the list of the most common types of evergreen trees growing in Virginia.

1. Southern Magnolia (magnolia grandiflora)

The southern magnolia tree produces dark green leaves and beautiful white flowers. It is also the official state tree and flower of Mississippi, and the state flower of Louisiana. This evergreen tree can grow up to 60 feet tall, and it blooms between May and June.

2. Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana)

This is the most common type of pine tree in Virginia, and it usually grows up to 40 feet tall. Other names for this tree include Jersey pine, scrub pine, and table mountain pine. It is widely distributed across the southeastern United States; it can be found in places like Texas, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee and of course Virginia.

3. Japanese Cedar (cryptomeria japonica)

The Japanese cedar is also called the “cedrus japonica”. It is a coniferous evergreen tree that can grow up to 80 feet tall. Like the southern magnolia, it produces dark green leaves and beautiful white flowers. You can easily recognize this tree by its columnar growth habit.

4. Common Yew (Taxus baccata)

Yews have flat green leaves and red berries which are poisonous, and they can grow up to 45 feet tall if they live long enough. A yew tree may reach a diameter of 2 feet at chest height if it is growing in ideal conditions. This tree is indigenous to much of Europe and northwestern Asia, as well as eastern North America, where it is found in the southeastern region.

5. Golden Dwarf Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa)

This evergreen tree is often used in bonsai, because it can grow into a flat-topped shrub when it is not properly cared for. It grows up to 10 feet tall and it usually blooms between May and June.

6. American Holly (ilex opaca) 

The leaves of this evergreen tree are shiny, green on top and pale underneath. They are 1-2 inches long, 2-3 millimeters wide, entire or sparsely dentate with brownish scales. The fruit is a dark red drupe about 7–10 mm diameter. This type of evergreen can grow up to 40 feet tall.

7. Eastern Red Cedar / Virginia Juniper ​(juniperus virginiana)

This is an evergreen tree with blue-green needle-like leaves. It is also called the redcedar or eastern juniper, and it can grow to be up to 60 feet tall. This type of evergreen tree has a wide range that includes Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. The berries from these trees are used as a seasoning in some foods.

8. Canadian Hemlock (tsuga canadensis)

This evergreen tree is also called the eastern hemlock. It can grow up to 60 feet tall, and its needles are mostly 1 inch long. This type of evergreen tree blooms in April. The Canadian Hemlock is a hardy tree that can grow in acidic or moist soils, but it does have a relatively short life.

9. Eastern White Pine (pinus strobus)

This is one of the tallest pines in North America, and it can grow up to 200 feet tall. It has needles that are 5-10 cm long, light green on the outer surface and two white bands of stomata on the inner surfaces. The tree’s bark is reddish-brown at first, then later slate gray to blue-gray, thin and scaly. White pines are native to Virginia, although they can also be found in North Carolina and Tennessee.

10. Green Giant Arborvitae (thuja plicata)

This tree is often used to create privacy screens and windbreaks. If you live in Virginia and want a fast-growing evergreen tree, the Green Giant Arborvitae is one of your best options. This type of evergreen grows up to 40 feet tall.

11. Leyland Cypress (cupressus × leylandii)

This evergreen tree is often used as a windbreak. People often plant this type of evergreen around their homes, and it can grow up to 40 feet tall if you allow it to reach its full height. The leaves on this tree are dark green and scale-like, overlapping each other along the stem.

12. Concolor Fir (abies concolor)

This evergreen tree is also known as the white fir, and it can grow up to 150 feet tall. If you live in Virginia, your local garden center should be able to provide you with this type of evergreen.

The Concolor Fir tree is a symmetrical evergreen with a pyramidal shape. The needles are arranged in two ranks, and they are dark green when mature, three-veined from the base, slender with a ciliolate apex. These trees have softwater cones that are 5-10 mm long.

13. Eastern White Pine (pinus strobus)

This is one of the tallest pines in North America, and it can grow up to 200 feet tall. It has needles that are 5-10 cm long, light green on the outer surface and two white bands of stomata on the inner surfaces.

14. Mountain Laurel (kalmia latifolia)

The Mountain Laurel is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 10 feet tall. It has dark green leaves, pink flowers and red fruit. This type of evergreen tree is native to Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. The Mountain laurel can be found in any USDA plant hardiness zone.