There are many incredible evergreen trees perfect for USDA zone 4.
Evergreens provide privacy, improve air quality, add year-round interest, act as windbreakers, and can help conserve energy when planted as a border.
Evergreens are plants or trees that maintain their leaves throughout the year, which is where the name evergreen comes from.
Lets take a look at nine fantastic options!
9 Evergreen Tree Varieties Perfect For USDA Zone 4
1. Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
This evergreen tree’s name is deceiving since it’s not actually a cedar tree. The Eastern Red Cedar is a misnomer, and the tree is indeed a Juniper tree.
Junipers belong to the Juniperus genus, while cedars belong to the Cedrus genus, and they’re not native to the United States. Eastern red cedar trees are native and are one of the most widely distributed in the eastern part of the US. It grows prolifically along highways, back roads, fencerows, pastures, open fields, and many yards.
Some folks have one issue with these trees: the seedlings can quickly invade open land that’s not regularly maintained. Another problem with eastern red cedars is that it is an alternate host for cedar-apple rust.
This pathogen is destructive to fruit trees, including apples and pears. That said, if you have any zone 4 apple or pear trees on your property and plan on adding eastern red cedars, you’ll want to plant them at least 50 feet away from one another.
Aside from the two mentioned negatives, eastern red cedars have enough positive qualities to outweigh the negatives.
Eastern red cedar trees resist weather extremes, including heat, cold, and drought. They’re incredibly tolerant of various soils, including alkaline, dry, rocky, and wet, swampy soils.
Red cedars are tolerant of high winds and windy conditions. The list goes on, with one of my favorites being the significant source of food and shelter they provide for wildlife.
The scale-like foliage is sticky but fragrant. The foliage of the eastern red cedar tree can be fine-cut or coarse. They vary in color from shades of gray, dark green, and blue-green; during the winter, they tend to be bronze.
Other Common Names: Red Cedar, Eastern Redcedar, Eastern Red-Cedar
Growing Zones: 4 to 9
Average Size At Maturity: 40 to 50 feet tall with an 8 to 20-foot spread
Available at: Nature Hills & Fast-Growing-Trees
2. Black Hills Spruce (Picea glauca var. Densata)
This spire-like evergreen is tall with bluish-green needles. Its thickly dense branches are beautiful and adaptable. Black hills spruce trees make an excellent vertical accent and an ideal windbreaker or shelterbelt.
Black hills spruce trees are valued in many landscapes for their distinctive pyramidal growth habit. The bluish-green foliage emerges light green in the spring, with the needles remaining bluish-green throughout the winter season. This type of spruce tree has gray bark creates an interesting dimension to things.
The black hills spruce’s relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage. They’re relatively low-maintenance. If and when pruning is necessary, it’s best to limit cutting to new growth from the current season instead of removing any dieback.
Black hills spruce trees should be grown in full sun. It’s incredibly adaptable to dry and moist locations. It is considered to be a drought-tolerant tree making it excellent in areas that experience dry periods.
Other Common Names: White Spruce
Growing Zones: 3 to 6
Average Size At Maturity: 40 feet tall with a 15-foot spread
Available at: Nature Hills & Fast-Growing-Trees
3. Taylor Juniper (Juniperus virginiana ‘Taylor’)
Taylor juniper trees are a popular columnar form cultivar of the eastern red cedar. It’s excellent for areas where cold weather hardiness is essential and apple rust affects other trees. It’s a perfect choice for people searching for an attractive, fast-growing, and durable substitute for arborvitae and Italian cypress.
Taylor junipers prefer acidic soil that’s well-drained and dry to moist. They’re simple to care for and make fantastic hedge or screen trees, especially in an area with fruit trees because of their resistance to juniper blight.
Other Common Names: Eastern Red Cedar
Growing Zones: 4 to 9
Average Size At Maturity: 15 to 20 feet tall with a 3 to 4-foot spread
Available at: Nature Hills & Fast-Growing-Trees
4. Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
Canadian hemlock trees are delicate and beautiful. They’re mainly valued for their distinctively pyramidal habit of growth in landscapes. The tree’s dark green foliage emerges light green in the spring before darkening, with the needles staying dark green throughout the winter months.
This evergreen tree has a strong central leader and a refined and distinctive form. It adds an excellent and delicate texture to any landscape, which makes it a perfect accent feature. Canadian hemlocks require occasional upkeep and maintenance.
Canadian hemlock trees are best pruned during late winter once the threat of extremely cold temperatures has passed. They grow relatively large and should not be planted under power lines.
Canadian hemlocks perform well in full sun and dull shade. It prefers average to evenly moist conditions but cannot tolerate standing water. While these evergreens don’t have a real preference for soil types, they do prefer acidic soils. To protect the roots in exposed locations, consider applying a thick layer of mulch around its base.
For those of you interested in growing evergreen trees with limited space, consider checking into some zone 4 weeping evergreen trees.
Other Common Names: Eastern Hemlock, Eastern Hemlock-Spruce
Growing Zones: 4 to 8
Average Size At Maturity: 40 to 60 feet tall with a 25 to 30-foot spread
Available at: Nature Hills & Fast-Growing-Trees
5. Moonglow Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Moonglow’)
Moonglow juniper trees have incredible color and grow upright. This evergreen’s adaptability, hardiness, and enchanting look make it a versatile tree that lightens up a landscape. The shiny blue foliage reflects the glow from the moonlight, which provides a beautiful silvery piece.
Moonglow trees are adaptable and have a dense growth habit. The branches are easily trained to make them a great protective barrier. Growers appreciate that Moonglow juniper trees don’t shed their needles or create any ground litter whatsoever. Regardless of the season, your Moonglow tree will look the same!
Moonglow trees are actually dwarf conifers that add value to the landscape with their rigidly columnar shape and form. The scale-like foliage is an attractive grayish-green, and the tree produces silvery blue berries from late spring through late winter. These evergreens make excellent accents, vertical accents, screening, and hedges.
Other Common Names: Colorado Red Cedar
Growing Zones: 3 to 8
Average Size At Maturity: 10 to 15 feet tall with a 4 to 6-foot spread
Available at: Nature Hills & Fast-Growing-Trees
6. Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Douglas fir trees are among the most popular evergreen trees around. They’re one of the nation’s most important lumber trees, making up close to half of all Christmas trees grown in the United States.
These trees are highly attractive, and their growth rate makes them a prime choice for backyards and parks. Douglas firs grow at a medium rate, with their height increasing between 13 to 24 inches yearly.
Douglas fir seeds feed various animals, including songbirds, blue grouse, rabbits, and other small mammals. The twigs and foliage feed deer, elk, mountain goats, antelope, and mountain sheep. Not only do they provide a food source, but Douglas fir trees also provide excellent cover and housing for many animals.
There are actually two varieties of Douglas Fir trees: the Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir and the Coast Douglas Fir.
Other Common Names: Douglas-Fir, Oregon Pine, Douglas Spruce, Columbian Pine
Growing Zones: 4 to 6
Average Size At Maturity: 40 to 70 feet tall with a 12 to 20-foot spread
Available at: Nature Hills & Fast-Growing-Trees
7. Skyrocket Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’)
The skyrocket juniper is a beautiful columnar. It’s one of the narrowest juniper trees currently available; they’re so upright and narrow that these trees resemble a rocket, hence the name ‘skyrocket.’
Skyrocket junipers are versatile and durable. Their bluish-green foliage allows them to work well when grouped, forming a colorful screen. However, they work equally as a single tree accenting a garden or amongst other conifers.
When planting skyrocket juniper trees, remember they need full sun. This columnar tree fits nicely into narrow side yards between homes and other tricky spaces because of the way it grows. These junipers make excellent windbreakers in both hot and cold climates. They require little care, making them a perfect choice for those of us who are busy.
Other Common Names: N/A
Growing Zones: 4 to 9
Average Size At Maturity: 15 to 20 feet tall with a 3 to 3-foot spread
Available at: Nature Hills & Fast-Growing-Trees
8. Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Eastern white pine trees are incredibly hardy. They make an ideal windbreaker or screen and look amazing with their clustered soft, blue-green needles.
While eastern white pines grow 50 to 80 feet tall on average, they can reach heights of over 135 feet in the wild. These evergreens prefer moist but well-drained soil. This pine variety grows are a fast rate, with an increase of over 24 inches in height per year. Eastern white pines need full sun and partial shade for the best growth.
Eastern white pine seeds are delectables for rabbits, black bears, red squirrels, and numerous birds, including red crossbills. The bark is enjoyed by snowshoe hares, rabbits, mice, beavers, and porcupines; however, their feasting can potentially damage the tree.
Not only do eastern pines provide food for many creatures, but they also provide nesting sites and homes for various birds, including mourning doves, woodpeckers, and nuthatches.
Other Common Names: White Pine, Northern White Pine, Weymouth Pine
Growing Zones: 3 to 8
Average Size At Maturity: 50 to 80 feet tall with a 20 to 30-foot spread
Available at: Nature Hills & Fast-Growing-Trees
9. Fat Albert Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens ‘Fat Albert’)
Fat Albert Blue Spruce trees are tough, incredibly cold hardy, and attractive. Their beautiful silver-blue needles are lovely to see year-round. These evergreens are smaller trees with a broad pyramidal shape that are perfect for any garden.
Fat Alberts are resistant to air pollution, and critters don’t seem to mess with them too much. These trees can be used to create a medium-sized privacy screen, growing about a foot every year. They grow well in direct sun or partial shade and aren’t particular about the soil type they’re rooted in.
It’s an excellent no-maintenance tree that grows well in cold climates; they’re hardy at even -50 degrees. There is no clipping required to keep these trees perfectly symmetrical, as they take care of themselves.
Other Common Names: Blue Spruce, Colorado Blue Spruce, Colorado Spruce
Growing Zones: 2 to 8
Average Size At Maturity: 40 feet tall with a 20-foot spread
Available at: Nature Hills & Fast-Growing-Trees
USDA Zone 4 Evergreens Perfect For Cold Climates
While there are many planting zones in the US, today we looked at numerous evergreen trees that grow exceptionally well in zone 4. They come in various sizes and even a few different shapes, from tall and wide to tall and compact.
They make excellent accents for landscapes containing zone 4 flowering trees or as stand-alone trees.
While some evergreens require a bit of maintenance and care, others can take care of themselves for the most part.
