Conifres are able to survive in cold areas with little water because instead of leaves they have thin waxy needles that shed snow easily and lose very little water. (Water cannot be used by trees when it is frozen). Their tall, narrow shape helps shed snow too.
•Evergreen
Nearly all conifres are evergreen which means that their leaves stay on all year round. Larches are an exception thier needless fall off in autumn.
•Plantations
In various cold regions of the world conifres are grow in narrowly-planted rows on massive plantations to provide timber. They are fast growing and can also survive on soil which is too poor for others crops.
•Life in a coniferous forest
Coniferous forest are usually quite dense and dark and so there is much less other plant life beneath the trees than there is in a deciduous Forrest (see page 76) - usually just fungi frens and litchen.
•Pine Family
Pines make up the largest family of conifres. This includes almost 100 different species such as the Scots pine, Corsican pine and the Loblolly pine.
