This plant image shows a deciduous tree and an evergreen tree standing side-by-side. Though the deciduous tree (which I think is a young maple tree) still has some of its leaves, it's clear to see the difference between the winter leaf-carriage of that and the evergreen (which is a cedar tree.) Evergreen trees keep their leaves in the winter because it costs less energy for them to keep them throughout the winter than to lose them and have to grow them all back in the spring. However, this means their branches also have more surface area for collecting snow - meaning they're more likely to end up with broken branches!