Evergreen trees are a staple in Missouri’s winter landscape, but what’s the story behind their existence and their place in holiday culture? We use the term “evergreens” for needle-leaved trees that stay green all year. This group includes pines, spruces, hemlocks and true firs. Although evergreens have leaves year-round, the needles fall continually. Some needle-leaved trees – notably the yews and larches – are deciduous, meaning they shed their leaves each year and replace them in the spring