Temperate forests include a mix of trees. Before any tree identification, you have to know the three main groups of trees. These are: deciduous trees, coniferous trees, and broad-leaved evergreens.
Deciduous trees lose their leaves in colder seasons. The leaves grow back when the weather warms in the spring and the days grow longer. Maples, oaks, chestnuts, beeches, and elms are some deciduous trees.
Coniferous trees usually have seeds that develop in cones and have needles for leaves. They lose the needles gradually so that the tree is never bare. Coniferous trees are also called evergreens, because they are green all the time. Pines, firs, and cedars are examples of coniferous trees.
Broad-leaved evergreens grow in temperate forests in warm parts of the world (New Zealand, Australia, southwest South America, and the Mediterranean). They have flat, leathery leaves and do not lose their leaves in the winter. Olive, holly, tea, and eucalyptus trees are all broad–leaved evergreens.
