Growing healthy conifers introduction 2011

• 1. Growing Healthy Trees
  Rick Fletcher
  OSU Extension Service
  

2. Learning Objectives for Today
Become familiar with locally grown native trees in local landscapes.
Understand basic environmental needs of common native tree species.
Learn symptoms of problems faced by trees in local landscapes.
3. Conifers
Cone bearing
Generally evergreen
Leaves linear in shape
Long lived & slow growing
Tallest of all plants
Woody stem utilized worldwide
4. What kinds of native trees grow locally?
Douglas-fir
Grand fir
False cedars- incense, western red
Western hemlock
Ponderosa pine
5. Douglas-fir(Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Not a true fir- false hemlock
Very common in home landscapes.
Shallow rooted.
6. Douglas-fir
Oregons signature tree.
Wood prized worldwide for structural building products.
7. Grand fir(Abies grandis)
Shade tolerant true fir on moist sites, at lower elevations in Valley.
Late successional species, but not long living (about 100 years).
Tolerant of moist sites, but not of drought.
8. Western Redcedar(Thuja plicata)
Shade tolerant, moisture loving tree.
Willamette Valley is at the south end of its natural range- more common to north.
Commonly found along streams or other riparian areas.
9. Incense-cedar(Calocedrus decurrens)
Sun loving, aromatic conifer.
Prefers, well drained sites.
Willamette Valley is at north end of its range.More prominent in Southern Oregon and California.
10. Ponderosa pine(Pinus ponderosa)
11. Introduced Species- There are Many!
Nordmann Fir- A Promising Christmas Tree Species
12. Broadleaf Species
Also called hardwoods.
Angiosperms- true flowering plants.
Most are deciduous.
13. The Riparian Hardwood Forest
14. What kinds of native broadleaf trees grow locally?
Oregon white oak
Bigleaf maple
Oregon ash
Pacific madrone
15. Key Principle: Genetic Adaptation
Local adaptation is very common in conifer species.
Seed zones- were 36, now only 16 in Western Oregon.
Protocol for moving stock between seed zones.
16. Key Principle: Site Requirements
Shade tolerance
Wetness of soils/Flooding
Drought/Heat
Frost/Cold
Animal damage
17. Conifer Species Tolerances


Tolerance** to:

Growth*
Low Light
Browsing Animals
Wet Soil

Drought

Frost

Conifers
SPECIES
Douglas-fir
3-4
2
2
2
3
4
Ponderosa pine
2-3
1
4
5
5
5
Grand fir
3-4
4
4
3
2
3
Noble fir
2-3
3
4
2
2
2
W Redcedar
2-3
5
1
4
1
2
W. Hemlock
2-3
5
3
3
1
1
Incense-cedar
1-2
2
3
2
5
3
18. Hardwood Species Tolerances


Tolerance** to:

Growth*
Low Light
Browsing Animals
Wet Soil

Drought

Frost

O. White Oak
- 1
1
3
4
5
5
SPECIES
Bigleaf Maple
2-3
4
1
4
3
5
Red Alder
3-4
1
2
4
1
2
White Alder
2-3
1
2
5
1
2
Cottonwood/Poplar
6-12
1
1
5
1
5
Oregon Ash
1-3
3
2
5
2
5
Chinkapin
1-3
3
5
3
4
5
Madrone
1-2
2
5
2
5
3
19. Shade Tolerance- What to Plant?
20. Tolerance to Wetness/Flooding*
21. 22. Pine Replaces Douglas-fir on Wet Site
23. Key Principle- Competition
Young trees need relief from weeds.
Most trees do poorly in shade, even ones that are listed as shade tolerant.
Moisture competition is severe in late summer.
24. Spacing Guidelines for Conifers
25. Tree Stress
Stresses disrupt the normal growth and maintenance abilities of the tree.
26. Shedding
Normal tree process.
Leaves, branches, bark after they lose utility.
Sick parts of the tree, or parts attacked by insects and disease that must be shed and/or walled off.
27. Subdivision Stress
28. Causes of Tree Stress
Weather events interacting with physical damage, herbicide damage, old age or other factors.
29. Tree Stress
Trees have long term memories.
Symptoms can show up long after damage occurs.
Stress can be gateway to other problems.
30. How do conifers grow?
Dormancy
Shoots versus roots
31. Willamette Valley Weather
DATEEVENTSTRESS

OCT 1962COLUMBUS DAY STORMHIGH WINDS

DEC 196425 INCHES OF RAINFLODDING

DEC 1968SNOW 18 PRECIPBREAKAGE

DEC 1972BELOW ZERO WEATHERFREEZING

AUG 1977108 F ON AUGUST 17HEAT

NOV 1985EARLY HARD FREEZEFREEZING

FEB 1989STRONG, COLD WINDSDESICCATION
OCT 1990NO RAINDROUGHT

OCT 1991ALL TIME HIGHS & LOWSACCLIMATION

32. More Weather
DATEEVENTSTRESS


MAY 199229 F ON MAY 22FREEZING

JAN 1993HEAVY SNOWBREAKAGE

FEB 199612 OF RAIN IN 3 DAYSFLOODING

2001RECORD LOW RAINFALLDROUGHT

OCT 200215 F - ALL TIME LOW FREEZING
JAN 2004SNOW, ICE AND WINDBREAKAGE
JAN 2006RAIN, RAIN, RAINFLOODING
JULY2007101 ALL TIME HIGHHEAT DAMAGE
Dec 200742 STRAIGHT RAINY DAYSSATURATED SOIL
33. Tolerance to Heat/Drought
Tolerant- ponderosa pine, oak, madrone
Moderate- Douglas-fir, incense-cedar, ash, maple
Intolerant- Grand fir, noble fir, western white pine, hemlock, redcedar, alder
34. Cold Damage
Best- ponderosa pine, hemlock, white pine, grand fir, oak, maple
OK-Douglas-fir, redcedar, incense-cedar, madrone
Damaged- alder, noble fir
35. 36. Wind
37. How trees grow and defend themselves.
Protective chemicals
Shedding.
Compartmentalization
Alex Shigo Associates
38. Can I have a drink?
39. Resin flow
Host response to invasion.
Black stain root disease in Doug fir.
40. Natural Predators
41. Protective chemicals
Pitching out Mt. Pine beetles.
An example of host response to attack.
42. Fire in the Forest- Good or Bad?
43. Fire- An Important Cleansing Tool
44. No Tree Lives Forever!
45. Decay and Trees
Alex Shigo Associates
46. Compartmentalization:
COLOR CODES
Red-Tree response (chemical protective reactions).
Green-Position of pioneer microorganisms (can be bacteria, decay fungi, or nondecay fungi). Wood in this area is usually discolored; its cell contents are altered.
Brown-Position of decayed wood; cell walls are digested.
Alex Shigo Associates
47. What is Normal?

• Fall leaf drop in conifers is normal (20% per year).

48. Transplant shock. 49. Pollen buds are not dead buds.