246 Landscape Design, Installation, and Management Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Trees Few plants can provide the beauty of established trees. A tree is a woody perennial plant, typically with one main stem that grows to a mature height of at least 15′ , Figure 10-2. A woody plant is defi ned as a plant that produces wood as its structural tissue. Trees used in landscapes may be evergreen trees and remain green throughout the year or deciduous trees, which shed their leaves annually. Although evergreens remain green throughout the year, it is important to note that they do shed leaves or needles throughout the year. How much a tree sheds may be of concern to a client that prefers a low-maintenance landscape. Evergreen magnolias, for example, litter leathery foliage throughout the year. The amount of needles that pines drop, in addition to cones, depends on the species and environmental conditions. Another factor to consider is the time a tree takes to reach maturity and its expected life span. Most nurseries offer trees of varying height or maturity. Clients may choose trees that are close to their mature height to establish a mature landscape much sooner than if younger trees were installed. Dendenal/Shutterstock.com Figure 10-1. Few plants provide the aesthetic beauty and functionality of trees, such as the Jacaranda mimosifolia/jacaranda illustrated above.