For 12 conifer species, the maximum ratio of shoot to leaf silhouette area of shade-acclimated shoots was found to vary from 0.50 to 0.99. Maximum leaf area index (leaf area per unit ground area) of conifer stands varied from 3.5 to 20, and a maximum mean annual increment varied by a factor of 2. Significant correlations were found between leaf silhouette area ratio of shade-acclimated shoots and the maximum leaf area index (R2 = 0.84) and the maximum mean annual increment (R2 = 0.93). These results support a hypothesis that species to species differences in the morphology of shade-adapted shoots strongly affect both the development of leaf area and the productivity of stands of evergreen conifers.