Evergreen Trees for Sun & Wind

USDA Zone 4

• The Eastern red cedar resists wind and thrives in sunny exposures. A North American native, this evergreen grows to 40 feet with a 20-foot spread and has dense, scale-like foliage. Its blue fruits attract birds to the landscape and it's hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 to 9. The American arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 8 and grows to 60 feet tall. A slow-growing, sun-loving evergreen, the American arborvitae tolerates windy, dry sites and comes in several cultivars, including the golden-leaved "Aurea Nana" and the columnar "Hetz's Winter Green."

USDA Zone 6

• A wind-resistant native evergreen, the Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) grows to 40 feet with a narrow, 15-foot spread. It prefers sunny, well-drained sites and tolerates drought. Rocky Mountain junipers are hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7. The jack pine (Pinus banksiana) resists wind and functions as an effective windbreak. Native to Canada and the northeastern U.S., this 65-foot-tall pine prefers moist, acidic sites and grows in full sun. It's hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8.

USDA Zone 8

• Hardy in USDA zones 7 to 9, the Southern magnolia resists wind and thrives in sunny, well-drained sites. This North American native grows to 80 feet tall and has lustrous, broad-leaved foliage. It's prized for its fragrant white blooms that appear in late spring. The live oak (Quercus virginiana) prefers full sun exposures and is hardy in USDA zones 7b to 10. This North American native has glossy foliage and grows up to 50 feet tall with a wide, 80-foot canopy. Plant this wind-resistant tree in a range of site conditions, including moist soil, salt spray and urban settings.

USDA Zone 10

• For warmer climates, the sabal or cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto) also resists wind. This evergreen has large, fan-shaped leaves and grows to 100 feet tall. It's hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11 and prefers sun and moist, alkaline soil. Pindo palms (Butia capitata) also stand up under windy conditions. A South American native, this evergreen palm grows to 25 feet tall and thrives in sunny, well-draining sites.