What Are Two Traits of Conifers?

The bald cypress is a deciduous conifer. Coniferous trees, also known as gymnosperms, grow almost worldwide, from the subarctic and subantarctic to the subtropics, in regions as different as Alaska's boreal forest to the Hawaiian islands to the swamps of Louisiana. The conifer family contains both the tallest plants -- coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) -- and the oldest plants -- bristlecone pines (Pinus longavea) -- which live for up to 5,000 years. Though the 50 genera of conifers include over 500 species and represent a diversity of characteristics, all conifers share certain traits.

Perhaps the most obvious common trait among coniferous is the one for which they are named: cone production. Unlike most other vascular plants, coniferous do not produce flowers to hold their pollen and/or seeds; the term "gymnosperm" means "naked seed." Rather, they produce cone-like structures that protect both seeds and pollen. Cones, which are actually modified leaves, contain a leaf bract and a shortened stem or scale, which together are called a bract scale complex or sporophyll. Fertilization and reproduction take place within the sporophylls, resulting in the production of conifer embryos inside of seeds, which are often coated with a thin, papery substance that aids in seed dispersal.

Cones grow in a range of sizes, shapes and colors, but they share some common characteristics. Most consist of hard, woody scales -- or in the case of junipers and yews, fleshy scales -- tightly clustered together to form a protective shield over the developing seeds. Conifers produce female and male cones, usually on the same tree or shrub. Yews and junipers are again the exception to this rule; these plants grow either male or female cones. Male cones are generally small, inconspicuous and fall from the plant as soon as they release their pollen. In contrast, female cones grow much larger and stay on the tree for several months or even years after the pollination process is complete. The largest cones in the world include those from the bunya-bunya tree (Araucaria bidwillii), which weigh up to 10 lbs., and the coulter or big-cone pine (Pinus coulteri), which weigh up to 8 lbs.

Another common coniferous trait is that of narrowleaved, as opposed to broadleaved, foliage. In fact, the best way to identify a coniferous tree is through its leaves, according to the American Conifer Society and Colorado State University Extension. Coniferous foliage grows in one of three general leaf structures: needle-like, scale- or awl-shaped, and flat and feathery. Most members of the Pinaceae family, which includes conifers such as pines (Pinus spp.), spruce (Picea spp.), fir (Abies spp.), larch (Larix spp.) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) have needle-like foliage. Needles grow singly, like those on firs and spruce; in clusters from the same node, like those of larch trees; or in bundles of two to five, like those of pines. Scale- or awl-shaped leaves usually lie flat or close to the stem and often overlap. This type of foliage is found on species such as junipers and arborvitae. Flat, feathery foliage tends to grow in a linear shape and are found on species such as yew.

Though evergreens, or plants that keep their foliage year-round, are closely associated with conifers, a few coniferous species are deciduous. These include ornamental genera such as the larch, cypress (Taxodium spp.) and dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). While these trees share coniferous traits, their foliage turns yellow to red in fall and then drops.

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