Deciduous trees lose their leaves before the winter. Evergreen trees retain their leaves throughout the year.
Deciduous trees are very common with numerous species. Notable fruit trees include apples, oranges apples, bananas, and pears. Inedible fruit-bearing deciduous trees include maple trees, the oak tree, elm, beech, and birch. These types are the most common in temperate deciduous forests.
Many deciduous plants lose their leaves during autumn whilst a coniferous tree holds onto its foliage all year round. The word coniferous comes from 'cone,' which relates to the cones on the branches. Cones are organs responsible for seed production.
Deciduous trees are trees that lose their leaves seasonally, and coniferous trees are those that hold onto their leaves all year round. There are other differences too in relation to the shape of the leaf and how they grow. Coniferous leaves tend to be needle-like or scale-like, whereas deciduous leaves vary in shape (across different species). The way in which they grow is also very different, with conifers having a central trunk. In contrast, deciduous trees have several trunks branching off from one root base or clustering around an older tree's canopy.There are several differences when comparing deciduous and evergreen trees. The most apparent is the fact that in deciduous trees, the leaves fall during autumn, whereas evergreens hold onto theirs all year round. Evergreens also have inconspicuous flowers compared to the bold, colourful blooms of a deciduous tree. Deciduous trees have more colourful foliage with a variety of tones of green and yellow rather than a rich colour palette restricted to one or two shades of green like an evergreen offers. Most types of deciduous trees are also hardwood trees. The majority of deciduous trees have wide flat leaves. A further difference between these two types of trees has been mentioned previously in terms of shape, with conifers being tall, narrow, and often spiky, while deciduous trees tend to be shorter, broader, and wider spread with multiple stems.
Deciduous shrubs are also referred to as "broad-leafed" shrubs, while evergreen shrubs are called pine or heaths. Some common examples that might be found in an Australian garden include the Bottlebrush (Callistemon), Cunninghams Whitebeam/Rusty Gum (Eucalyptus Cunninghamii), and the Snow in Summer (Chrysocephalum). The genus Chrysocephalum contains over 200 species of mainly evergreen shrubs from coastal regions of Eastern, South Eastern, and Western Australia. Many are small to medium large shrubs with attractive foliage and flowers. These may be single trunked but more often are multi-trunked with a characteristic form of growth. This is frequently seen in the Bottlebrush (Callistemom) and Cunninghams Whitebeam/Rusty Gum (Eucalyptus Cunninghamii), where they spread by means of suckers growing new stems off an existing one. As the new stem grows, it expands at its tip until it can't grow anymore or finds something to attach itself to. The new plants are biological copies of the parent plants, so when they get bigger, you have more plants than you started with. Although some grasses also spread in this way, these deciduous shrubs reproduce more like conifers do by releasing their seeds into surrounding soil for them to germinate at a later point.
Because deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn, they will have more exposure to the elements during winter. This is why any mulch around a deciduous tree from the fallen leaves must be dug into the soil so that it decomposes, becoming one with the ground over which it was laid. If left on top of the soil, it will simply blow away or be washed away by rainwater. Deciduous plants like apples need to be pruned regularly to thrive. If you discover your deciduous plant has sustained damages after losing leaves or due to a particularly harsh winter, don't fret - cut out any dead branches and remove them from the plant along with any loose bark. Then simply give the plant a good pruning, being sure to focus on shaping rather than cutting off too much at once. After this, apply an appropriate fertiliser and start planning for its glorious new growth to come when the trees begin to foliage again. Maples are great ornamental trees, also great for shade. However, note that they have shallow roots that can make tending the lawns difficult. They also have a high affinity to water sources. The roots can crack water or sewerage pipes as they seek water.
Deciduous trees keep their leaves during warm seasons. In cold weather, leaf loss occurs because it's not practical for these trees to keep the leaves during the cold winter. Tropical deciduous trees shed their leaves to conserve water during the dry season.
A leaf provides a lot of food for a plant, but with winter approaching and no way to replenish energy reserves (since no photosynthesis occurs during the winter), it makes more sense for the tree to just shed its leaves and start growing them again in spring.
There are many ways to help your deciduous plant grow better and faster, such as planting several of them together or placing some near a window that gets a lot of light. Deciduous shrubs are best suited as hedging as they do not require as much maintenance as other flowering shrubs would. For more information an trees, or to determine what tree you might have, take a look at this handy resource from the New South Wales Government's Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.