Needle Leaf Plants

Trees

• Many trees in the conifer family have needle-like foliage, and most thrive in sunny sites. Common ornamental conifers with needles include the white pine (Pinus strobus), an 80-foot-tall evergreen with soft, blue-green needles that grow in clumps of five. White pines are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 9 and grow in a conical shape. Another commonly grown evergreen, the Japanese yew has dark-green needles. This Asian native grows to 25 feet tall and produces bright red berries. It's hardy in USDA zones 5 to 7 and thrives in a range of site conditions, including moist or dry soil and shade.

Shrubs

• Popular ornamental shrubs with needles include the mugo pine (Pinus mugo), a rounded shrub with dense foliage. This evergreen grows in a variety of cultivars, such as the dwarf Swiss mountain (Pinus mugo var. pumilio), a 6-foot-tall shrub with an 8-foot-wide spread. This mugo pine has short needles that grow in clumps of two and is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 9. Another evergreen, the shrubby podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus var. maki) has glossy green needles that grow in a spiral. This slow-growing shrub reaches heights of 35 feet with a 12-foot spread. It's hardy in USDA zones 7 to 11 and prefers well-draining sites.

Ground Covers

• Juniper ground covers (Juniperus spp.) have scale-like needles. Low-growing varieties include Japanese juniper (Juniperus procumbens), a 30-inch-tall evergreen that forms a spreading carpet of blue-green leaves. This ground cover is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 8 and prefers full sun exposures. Thrift or moss pink (Phlox subulata) forms a thick mat of light- to gray-green needle-like foliage. In spring, it blooms with pink, purple or white flowers, creating a bright show in sunny sites. This evergreen grows to 6 inches tall with a 2-foot spread and is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9.

Perennials

• Perennials with needle-like foliage include the threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata), an 18-inch-tall plant that blooms with yellow flowers in summer. This perennial is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 and grows best in dry sites. Rosemary (Rosemaryinus officinalis) also grows as a perennial. This herb has lustrous, dark needle-like foliage that's aromatic and edible. It grows from 3 to 6 inches tall and blooms with small, purple flowers. Hardy in USDA zones 7 to 8. Rosemary grows best in full sun and well-draining soil.