Coniferous forest is dominated by conifers—evergreen, cone-bearing, needle-leaved trees such as spruce (Picea), fir (Abies), hemlock (Tsuga), or pine (Pinus). Larch (Larix), a deciduous conifer that drops its leaves in winter, may be common in some coniferous forests, especially in more northern latitudes. Conifers are the signature tree species of coniferous forests, but some broad-leaved deciduous tree species, such as birch (Betula) and aspen (Populus), are minor components of coniferous forests.

Coniferous forests are largely confined to the Northern Hemisphere and consist of several types. The world's largest expanse of coniferous forest is the boreal forest or taiga, covering over 18 million square kilometers. Taiga occurs as a broad circumpolar belt located between 50 degree and 70 degree north latitude, including parts of North America, Europe, ...