Conifers are gymnosperms, an ancient lineage of seed plants that first appeared about 300 million years ago at the end of the Carboniferous period. Most conifers have evergreen, needle-like or scale-like leaves with a thick waxy cuticle designed to resist water loss. Unlike the ancient, seedless plant groups, such as mosses and ferns, conifers do not require water for fertilization; a pollen grain produced by the male cone is delivered by wind to the female cone, another adaptation to a time when the continents were drier than they are today. Male cones are smaller and are held in yellow to orange clusters near the top of the tree or at the branch ends; female cones are larger, green when new, ripening to brown, and hold their seeds at the base of the woody scales. Some conifers, such as Common Juniper and American Yew, lack cones; the seeds are found in fleshy or berry-like structures on the terminal twigs.
Spruces (Picea) and firs (Abies) are dominant trees of the boreal forest that range north to the tundra, and on mountain slopes up to the tree line, where their growth form may be shrubby. Spruce and fir forests provide excellent nesting habitat for a host of birds, and the seeds, twigs, and bark are eaten by many mammals, from voles and lemmings to bear and moose. Spruce wood is harvested for paper pulp, for construction, and for specialty uses such as musical instruments. The soft wood of Balsam Fir is less favored by the timber industry for construction, but is used for pulp and other applications where strength is not a priority.
Pines (Pinus) are the most diverse group of conifers and are major components of forests in the Northern Hemisphere, providing many ecological benefits. They are hardy trees that grow well in different soil types, including sandy habitats, where their presence limits soil erosion. Most pines are well adapted to fire, surviving low intensity burns, or recolonizing after major blazes. The seeds of pines are favored by squirrels and other small mammals, thus supporting the base of the food chain that feeds larger predators. Pines are also our most important timber trees, producing lumber for housing, furniture, and many other uses.
Seventeen species of conifers from three plant Families are covered:
Atlantic White-Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides)
Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)
Eastern Red-Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Northern White-Cedar (Arbor Vitae) (Thuja occidentalis)
Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
American Larch (Tamarack) (Larix laricina)
Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
White Spruce (Picea glauca)
Black Spruce (Picea mariana)
Red Spruce (Picea rubens)
Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana)
Red Pine (Pinus resinosa)
Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida)
Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
American Yew (Taxus canadensis)
