You may recognize the majestic silhouette and piney foliage of the Norway spruce (Picea abies) because it’s the chosen Christmas tree for New York City’s Rockefeller Center every year. It’s an especially fast-growing tree (specifically when it’s young) that grows extremely wide, too. "The tree offers beautiful pendulous–or dropping–branches that further the tree’s iconic look," Frese says.

Named after its smooth, pale-colored bark, the eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) grows tall and straight and showcases long and flexible needles grouped in bundles of five. It has a graceful appearance that makes it an elegant addition to any yard, particularly as an ornamental accent. The growth is slow in its first few years, but after that, it takes off.

Given its mature size—topping out at around 200 feet—this giant cedar (Thuja plicata) isn’t for every yard. However, if you have the space then it’s a striking option to incorporate onto your property. This quick-growing conifer has dense, fan-like foliage that ranges from rich green to reddish-brown, and it takes on a broad pyramid shape.

For an absolutely show-stopping conifer, look no further than the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana). "There’s no other conifer tree like this species," says Eric Preston Stout, expert gardener and landscaper at TeachMe.To. "It is a spiral arrangement, radially spreading evergreen with leaves that resemble a Fibonacci sequence." The whorled leaves also have a spiky, scale-like quality to them. It's definitely an ornamental choice versus a hedging option. Also, it’s best to plant an already established tree since it’s very slow-growing in its early years. Once mature, however, it starts taking off.

This tall tree (Pseudotsuga menziesii) has soft, needle-like leaves that develop in a beautiful spiral pattern. It’s considered one of the most popular options for Christmas trees thanks to its classic pyramid shape, fragrance, and gentle needles. This fast-growing conifer is also beautiful in yards as either an accent or privacy screen thanks to its dense, year-round foliage.

This beautiful tree is one of the few deciduous conifer trees on Earth, meaning its leaves change colors in the fall and then drop. The European larch (Larix decidua) grows in a pyramid shape and produces soft, bright green needles that turn to a striking golden-yellow hue come autumn. “[It offers] the best fall color tree out of all conifers,” says Preston Stout, expert gardener and landscaper at TeachMe.To.

Native to North America, the river birch tree (Betula nigra) puts on a beautiful show during all four seasons. "Bright green leaves on semi-arching branches appear in the spring, followed by long, dangling seed pods in early summer," says Kate Walz, a gardening expert with KW Gardens & Flowers. "In the fall, the leaves turn a striking shade of yellow, and after they drop, the unique exfoliating bark on the trunk is revealed—which provides ornamental interest during the winter."

As the name suggests, the river birch naturally grows along riverbanks and wet areas in the United States. However, this tree can tolerate a variety of soil conditions in the landscape. Often grown as a multi-stemmed tree, its spreading limbs provide an overall pyramidal to oval shape.

The bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) is a deciduous conifer and is special because it's the only conifer that sheds its needles in the fall. (That's how it got its name.) It also produces nice shade when full of foliage and has a high tolerance to air pollution and less-than-ideal soil conditions.

Speaking of fast-growing shade trees that can tolerate extreme conditions: The palo verde (Parkinsonia florida) is a desert native that produces an incredible show every spring via a burst of tiny yellow blooms. These flowers are so dense that they provide nice shade. When not blooming, the lush green leaves step in to provide respite from the desert sun. In the winter, when temperatures are cooler and days are shorter, it drops its leaves and becomes bare.

As you may have guessed, the tulip tree (Liriodendron) gets its name because it produces blossoms that closely resemble springtime tulips. These buds are aromatic and are a golden-green hue ringed with vibrant orange. "The tulip tree, a member of the magnolia family, is one of the largest native trees in North America," says Walz. "Tulip trees are also the host plant for tiger and spicebush swallowtail butterflies."