Best Evergreens For Windbreaks

1. It grows well, statewide, on all soils except for extremely wet sites.
2. It is the only native evergreen tree in Kansas.
3. It holds its lower branches much longer than do the pines and therefore, functions as a windbreak much longer than the pines.
4. It is easier and quicker to get established than the pines.
5. Its insect and disease problems are less serious than those on pines.
6. It provides much better cover and food for wildlife than do pines.

Rocky Mountain juniper is considered the equivalent of Eastern redcedar in extreme western Kansas.  It is not suited to the humid environment of eastern Kansas as disease problems can occur.

In spite of the above strengths, many people prefer to use pines as the evergreen component of windbreaks. A good compromise is to plant 1 or 2 rows of Eastern redcedar on the back side and complete the planting with pine on the side towards the house so that you can enjoy the service provided by Eastern redcedar and the beauty of the pine. Certainly one advantage pines have over Eastern redcedar is they do not spread in pastures.

Ponderosa pine is the most drought and alkaline/salinity tolerant of the pines. It has the reputation of being susceptible to pine tip moth. However, the Ponderosa pine provided through the Kansas Conservation Tree Planting Program are grown from seed collected in north central Nebraska, which has been shown to be tolerant of the tip moth. Also, there is some evidence to suggest that it has some resistance to common diseases. It is adapted to a more arid environment and planting this species where there is high humidity will increase the likelihood of disease problems.

Austrian pine is also drought tolerant and useful on most soils in Kansas. Our "improved" variety from Yugoslavian source is resistant to Dothistroma needle blight. It is the most adaptive pine species that we offer and can be planted on most sites except wet sites. Until recently, Austrian Pine was thought to be tolerant of pine wilt; however, there have been reported cases of infestation. If there are known pine wilt problems existing in the area where these pines are to be planted, alternative species may want to be considered.

Eastern white pine is not suitable for use as a windbreak except on moist, well-drained soils in eastern Kansas where it is protected from direct exposure to the hot, dry, south winds associated with summer. Nor does it tolerate droughty, wet, or clayey soils. It is occasionally killed by pine wilt. Where established, however, it displays fast growth.