scholarly journals Pruning Acer rubrum at Planting Impacts Structure and Growth After Three Growing Seasons

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Gilman

Branches present in the tree crown at planting can become obstructions in urban landscapes, requiring large pruning cuts later and possibly creating weak structure by growing upright to comprise a large section of the crown. Pruning at planting, currently a discouraged practice, could shorten or remove selected branches and thus improve the structure of a newly planted tree. Acer rubrum L. trees planted into soil from 170 L containers were pruned at planting to subordinate the largest primary branches, or not. Pruning induced a 26% reduction in total cross-sectional area in the five largest primary branches. This sizable reduction in growth on pruned branches resulted in a significant reduction in aspect ratio of the largest (11%) and three largest (10%) branches. The negligible pruning wound from raising the crown on pruned trees would result in little trunk dysfunction when branches are later removed for clearance, and the debris would be minimal. Tree height growth after three growing seasons was unaffected by pruning; the 8% slower trunk diameter growth might be difficult to recognize in a landscape. Bending stress required to tilt trunks three growing seasons after planting was equivalent with or without pruning.

1983 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-6
Author(s):  
R.D. Wright ◽  
E.B. Hale

The influence of N rates and irrigation on shoot growth and trunk diameter were evaluated for red maple (Acer rubrum, L. ‘October Glory’), pin oak (Quercus palustris Muenchh) and dogwood (Cornus florida L. ‘Barton’). Irrigation increased shoot growth and trunk diameter for all 3 species during the first 2 growing seasons. Tree height and trunk diameter at the end of the third growing season were also greater for irrigated trees. Increasing the N levels from 168 to 329 Kg N/ha (150 to 300 lb N/A) resulted in a decrease in trunk diameter the first year and a decrease in shoot growth the second year in ‘October Glory’ maple. No significant differences in oak growth due to N rate were observed. Shoot growth and trunk diameter for dogwood were greater at 329 kg N/ha (300 lb N/A) than at 168 kg N/ha (150 lb N/A) only the first year. Neither height or trunk diameter at end of the third year were significantly increased from applying the higher level of N for any of the genera.


2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Gilman ◽  
Maria Paz ◽  
Chris Harchick

Root pruning by shaving 12 L container root balls when shifting to 51 L containers did not impact Acer rubrum L. or Quercus virginiana Mill. root architecture within the top 12 cm of planted 51 L root balls five years later, despite marked differences at planting, and had no impact on tree height or trunk diameter increase. Root pruning in the nursery did not affect bending stress required to tilt Acer trunks up to five degrees (anchorage) either one, two, or three years after landscape planting. In contrast, anchorage was greater the second year after planting Quercus that were root pruned. Rotating trees 180 degrees at planting from their orientation in the nursery had no impact on Acer or Quercus anchorage, tree height, or trunk diameter. Rotating oak (not maple) trees 180 degrees at planting increased root cross-sectional area growing from the hot (south) side of the root ball when trees were rotated at planting.


2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Gilman ◽  
Maria Paz ◽  
Chris Harchick

Acer rubrum L. ‘Florida Flame’ were grown in #3 containers of eight types, then shifted to #15 containers, then finally into #45 containers. Half the trees were root pruned by removing periphery 3 cm of root ball at each shift to larger containers. In addition to and simultaneous with being shifted into successively larger containers, some trees from each container size were planted directly into soil. Type of container and root pruning had no impact on trunk diameter, tree height, or root cross-sectional area on trees planted into soil from any container size. Type of container influenced architecture of planted root systems evaluated when all trees were five-years-old with limited impact on anchorage. Container type only impacted anchorage of trees planted from #45 containers, and impact was small. In contrast, shaving root balls during production substantially reduced imprint left by all containers evaluated when trees were five-years-old. Shaving during production also improved anchorage by 20%–25% compared to not root pruning. More roots grew on north than the south side of tree in the nursery and landscape. Bending stress increased with trunk angle and its square while winching trunks to five degrees tilt.


2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Gilman ◽  
Maria Paz ◽  
Chris Harchick

Plants were grown in a 2 × 2 factorial combination of planting depth in nursery containers and at a landscape installation to study effects on root architecture, growth, and mechanical stability of Magnolia grandiflora L. Planting depth into containers or landscape soil had no impact on bending stress to tilt trunks 40 months after landscape planting, and impacted neither trunk diameter nor tree height growth 68 months later. Trees planted 128 mm deep into 170 L containers had more circling roots at landscape planting and 68 months later than trees planted shallow in containers. Root pruning at landscape planting reduced the container imprint rating on the root system to one-third of that absent root pruning with only a 4 mm reduction in trunk diameter growth over 68 months. Improvement in root architecture from root pruning likely outweighs the rarely encountered downside of slightly less anchorage in an extreme weather event simulated by winching trunks. Trees planted 5 cm above grade were slightly—but significantly—less stable in landscape than trees planted deeper (10 cm below grade). Root pruning at planting to remove roots on root ball periphery appeared to improve root architecture while only slightly impacting growth and anchorage.


2012 ◽  
Vol 42 (9) ◽  
pp. 1714-1723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric K. Zenner ◽  
Daniel J. Heggenstaller ◽  
Patrick H. Brose ◽  
JeriLynn E. Peck ◽  
Kim C. Steiner

The disparity between the potential for latent oak dominance within a stand and their region-wide decline in importance value raises questions about the competitiveness of oaks in early stand dynamics. We reconstructed tree height growth dynamics in mixed-species neighborhoods to determine if currently dominant oaks were ever shorter than their competitors and at what age currently subordinate oaks fell behind. In 23–36 year old mixed-oak stands in two physiographic provinces of Pennsylvania, we identified dominant and subordinate northern red oaks ( Quercus rubra L.) and chestnut oaks ( Quercus prinus L.) competing with adjacent non-oaks (red maple ( Acer rubrum L.), sweet birch ( Betula lenta L.), and black cherry ( Prunus serotina Ehrh.)) of equal crown class. In each stand, we randomly selected 20 tree neighborhoods and collected stem cross sections every metre from the base to the tip of each tree. In the Allegheny Plateau province, dominant northern red oaks never averaged more than 2 m shorter than their competitors, while by age 20, subordinate oaks were commonly more than 2 m behind. Dominant chestnut oaks in the Ridge and Valley province were never more than 1 m shorter than their competitors; subordinate oaks, however, were generally always at least a metre behind. In both regions, growth dynamics of currently subordinate trees were indistinguishable from those of currently dominant trees during their first decade. Because oaks that were considerably behind at age 15 were likely to be subordinate by age 30, the window of opportunity for release to prevent oaks from becoming permanently overtopped and unable to recover may thus be relatively early (age 10–20).


2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (12) ◽  
pp. 2395-2404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakari Ilomäki ◽  
Eero Nikinmaa ◽  
Annikki Mäkelä

This study tests the hypothesis that the aboveground structure of silver birch (Betula pendula L.) is derivable from crown rise across a range of social positions of trees. Data were measured in 30-year-old birch monocultures of three different initial spacings. As suggested by the pipe model, there was a strong linear correlation between the total cross-sectional area of branches and that of stem at crown base. Foliage mass correlated with stem basal area at crown base. An allometric relationship was found between foliage mass and crown length, and the mean length (weighted by basal area) of branches correlated linearly with crown length. Pipe ratios of branches and foliage were found to be independent of slenderness (= tree height / breast height diameter). The proportion of stem in aboveground biomass increased from 80% to 96% when the slenderness index increased, the proportions of branches and leaves decreasing, respectively. For crown biomass, the proportion of foliage was greater in the more slender stems, accompanied with a corresponding decrease in the proportion of stems, while the share of branches remained rather constant. The ratio of productive (foliage) and nonproductive (stem plus branches) biomass inside the crown was positively correlated with slenderness, but in the whole tree, the ratio declined with increasing slenderness. The results of this study support the theory of functional balance and seem to be in conflict with the priority principle of allocation.


2007 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-282
Author(s):  
Mengmeng Gu ◽  
James Robbins ◽  
Curt Rom

Twenty birch genotypes were planted in the field in April 2002 to evaluate their survival and growth at Fayetteville and Hope, Arkansas, U.S., and to evaluate their response to two irrigation regimes at Fayetteville. After four growing seasons, the overall tree survival was 62% and 30% at Fayetteville and Hope, respectively. Betula pendula ‘Trost’s Dwarf’, B. ermanii, and B. albosinensis were among genotypes with the lowest survival at both locations. Betula populifolia, B. nigra ‘BNMTF’, B. nigra ‘Cully’, and B. × ‘Royal Frost’ had greater survival after four growing seasons than the other birch genotypes investigated. Betula nigra ‘BNMTF’ and B. nigra ‘Cully’ were taller and had greater trunk diameter than the other surviving birch genotypes at both locations after four growing seasons. At the end of 2005, B. utilis var. jacquemontii was the shortest and had the smallest trunk diameter among the 18 surviving genotypes at Fayetteville, and B. papyrifera ‘Uenci’, B. populifolia ‘Whitespire’, B. maximowicziana, and B. lenta were the shortest and had the smallest trunk diameter among the 13 surviving genotypes at Hope. At Fayetteville, B. nigra and B. davurica had the greatest annual change in tree height in both 2004 and 2005, and B. davurica was among genotypes having the greatest annual change in trunk diameter in 2002, 2004, and 2005. At Hope, B. papyrifera had the greatest annual change in tree height in both 2004 and 2005, and B. davurica had the greatest annual change in trunk diameter in 2004. In 2005, annual change was not significant among birch genotypes at Hope. At Fayetteville, water-stress treatment reduced final tree height and trunk diameter in birch trees.


Tropics ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Motoshi HIRATSUKA ◽  
Takeshi TOMA ◽  
Nina MINDAWATI ◽  
Ika HERIANSYAH ◽  
Yasushi MORIKAWA

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-22
Author(s):  
Donna C. Fare

Abstract Two studies were conducted to determine container size and liner (young bare root trees) trunk diameter effects on growth of Acer rubrum L. ‘Franksred’, Red Sunset™ red maple. In experiment 1, maples liners with initial mean trunk diameters of 12.2 mm (0.5 in), 15.9 mm (0.6 in), and 22.3 mm (0.9 in) were potted in 26.5 liter (#7), 37.8 liter (#10), and 56.8 liter (#15) containers and grown for 18 months (2 growing seasons). Height and trunk diameter growth at the end of each growing season were affected by both the initial liner trunk diameter and container size. During year 1, liners with an initial trunk diameter of 12.2 mm (0.5 in) increased 28 and 70% more in height growth compared to liners initially 15.9 mm (0.6 in) and 22.3 mm (0.9) in trunk diameter, respectively. Twenty three percent more height growth occurred with maples in 37.8 liter (#10) and 56.8 liter (#15) containers compared to those in 26.5 liter (#7) containers. Trunk diameter growth increased 50% more with 12.2 mm (0.5 in) liners compared to 22.3 mm (0.9 in) liners. A 25% increase in trunk diameter growth occurred with liners potted in 56.8 liter (#15) compared to 26.5 liter (#7) containers. At the end of the second growing season, final tree size was similar with liners that were initially 12.2 mm (0.5 in) and 15.9 mm (0.6 in) liners in trunk diameter to those initially 22.3 mm (0.9 in) when potted into 37.8 liter (#10) and 56.8 liter (#15) containers. In experiment 2, maple liners with trunk diameters 17.5 mm (0.7 in), 20.5 mm (0.8 in), and 29.0 mm (1.1 in) were potted in container sizes 26.5 liter (#7), 37.8 liter (#10), and 56.8 liter (#15) and grown for 18 months (2 growing seasons). Liners grown in 56.8 liter (#15) containers had 92% more height growth and 48% more trunk diameter growth than with liners in 26.5 liter (#7) containers. At termination, the shoot dry weight was 41% larger with maples in 56.8 liter (#15) containers compared to those grown in 26.5 liter (#7) containers.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-57
Author(s):  
Lauren M. Garcia Chance ◽  
Michael A. Arnold ◽  
Leonardo Lombardini ◽  
W. Todd Watson ◽  
Sean T. Carver ◽  
...  

Abstract With container-grown trees offered to the public in an increasing array of sizes, it is important to determine the effects of different sizes of container stock on transplant establishment. Clonal replicates of Vitex agnus-castus, Acer rubrum var. drummondii, and Taxodium distichum grown under common nursery conditions in five container sizes, 3.5, 11.7, 23.3, 97.8, or 175.0 L (#1, #3, #7, #25, or #45, respectively), were transplanted to a sandy clay loam field. Physiological stress was measured using xylem water potential and photosynthetic gas exchange rates. Height, trunk diameter, and canopy spread were monitored post-transplant for three growing seasons and root growth was sampled for the first two growing seasons. Trees of all three species from smaller-sized containers, 23.3 L (#7) or less, exhibited reduced transplant shock, decreased establishment time and increased growth rates in comparison to larger-sized containers, apart from increased mortality in 3.5 L (#1) A. rubrum and slower growth in 3.5 L (#1) T. distichum compared to those transplanted from 11.7 L (#3) or 23.3 L (#7) containers Reduced stress levels and increased growth rates corresponded in timing with greater change in root extension of smaller container-grown trees. At the end of three growing seasons, no statistical differences in height or trunk diameter were present for V. agnus-castus container sizes. With a modest wait, consumers may find that smaller container-grown trees will overcome transplant stress more quickly and exhibit growth rates that surpass those of larger container-grown trees. Index words: Acer rubrum, Taxodium distichum, Vitex agnus-castus, container-grown trees, transplant shock, transplant establishment, photosynthesis, transpiration, water stress. Species used in this study: Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus L. [an unnamed white flowering clone]); red maple (Acer rubrum L. var. dummondii [Hook. & Arn. ex Nutt.] Sarg. ‘Maroon'); bald cypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. [test clone TX8DD38]).


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