In addition to the white pine, Eberling would also recommend a
couple of nonnative Maryland varieties. The Norway spruce and
white spruce retain their lower branches longer than a white
pine, he said. Hemlock trees also can be good windbreakers. But
now is probably not a good time to plant one, as hemlock in
certain spots along the East Coast, including Washington County,
are suffering infestation by the hemlock woolly adelgid, said
Eberling and Annette Ipsan, horticulture extension educator for
Maryland Cooperative Extension in Washington County. Eberling
said the bugs cling to the bottom of the needles, from which
they suck out the juice. This can kill the hemlock unless caught
early and treated annually. Any deciduous tree will provide
shade and cool a house during the hotter months, while letting
sunlight through its bare branches during winter months to help
heat the home, Eberling said. Large deciduous trees that can
provide shade and beauty and grow well in Washington County's
clay soil include river b