hardwoods 3. Parrotia persica (Persian ironwood). Paulownia tomentosa (Royal paulownia). Phellodendron amurense (Amur corktree). Prunus spp. (Cherry).
conifer and hardwood
NYC
conifer and hardwood The selection of woody plant material is one of the first crucial decisions in a long-term landscape investment. There are many factors one considers during the plant selection process. An awareness of certain requirements - a tree’s limitations or preferences - should be part of these considerations. Inclusion in this resource was governed by two criteria - a risk posed by the digging season and / or a preference for packaging / size. A cross-section of published literature was consulted - Michael Dirr, Gary Hightshoe, online resources, e.g. University of Florida - as well as industry professionals and local professional experience. A notation for Asian Longhorned Beetle hosts has also been included for your consideration. This resource was developed as a reliable starting point in creating a "cultural requirements" body of knowledge. An interest in managing the risks and preferences of the listed plant material and sharing the results of those experiences will broaden our regional knowledge, expanding the seasonal planting palette. Digging / Planting Trees normally establish well when planted in the Spring. Root growth in most deciduous species is under way when soil temperatures (at a depth of three inches) exceed 42° Fahrenheit. Many conifers exhibit root growth and activity at slightly higher soil temperatures. Root growth is driven by the sugars manufactured in the first (and second) flush of shoot growth. Shoot growth on deciduous trees (bud swell, bud scale splitting, leaf emergence) can begin before root growth. Trees that are transplanted in early Spring must initially rely on older roots for water uptake to support shoot emergence. However, it is also true that trees transplanted in the Spring have a greater chance at establishment because shoot growth periods throughout the first growing season favor root growth. Trees planted in the Fall must be able to initiate root growth quickly, before soil temperatures drop, using only stored sugars. There are a number of species of conifer, shade and ornamental trees that present difficulties when they are dug in the Fall. Commonly acknowledged reasons for these difficulties include: • trees with coarse roots that are slow to generate new root growth, e.g. Quercus coccinea, Nyssa sylvatica; • trees with thin bark and abundant twigs, very prone to water loss during winter months, e.g. Quercus phellos, Betula spp.; • trees that harden off very late in Fall, e.g. Crataegus spp.; • broadleaf evergreens, very prone to winter desiccation, e.g. Ilex opaca, Magnolia grandiflora. We refer to Planting in this consideration because many specifications stipulate that selected woody material be dug no more than one month prior to planting. If the species listed in this category cannot be dug early in the previous Spring, heeled in and irrigated appropriately until the Fall, their inclusion in a Fall planting could add an additional survival risk. For some species listed, specifying a larger root ball than the ANSI minimum, along with a well-monitored irrigation protocol, might offset the risk. Package / Size We have also provided recommendations for the way in which woody plant material is grown - in the field or in a container - as well as a size preference where one exists. While definitive research on this subject is hard to come by, there does exist published information stating preferences for the method of growing and, in some instances, the size of the material. We have noted that information to guide plant selection. A reference for known bare root successes (yes) and failures (no) has been added. Where industry experience is not yet definitive, a b has been indicated. Your own long-term experience will help to verify the published information. We welcome comments, suggestions and the sharing of personal experience to continue building a valid regional reference as to these important woody material concerns.
conifer and hardwood
dig / plant field grown hazard
package size preference
bare root
Abies spp. & cvs. (Fir)
spring
cg or b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
Cedrus atlantica (Atlas cedar)
spring
cg or b&b
no
C. deodora & cvs. (Deodor cedar)
cg or b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana & cvs. (Lawson falsecypress)
cg or b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
C. obtusa & cvs. (Hinoki falsecypress)
cg
no
X Cupressocyparis leylandii & cvs. (Leyland cypress)
cg
no
cg under 6’ ht
no no
species
conifers
Juniperus virginiana & cvs. (Eastern red cedar) Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn redwood)
early spring late fall spring
Picea spp. & cvs. (Spruce)
early spring
b&b - retain lower branches (except street tree planting) cg or b&b - best under 6’ ht
Pinus densiflora (Japanese red pine)
early spring
b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
P. flexilis (Limber pine)
early spring
b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
cg - best under 6’ ht
no
P. heldreichii var. leucodermis (Bosnian pine)
no
P. parviflora (Japanese white pine)
early spring
b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
P. rigida (Pitch pine)
early spring
b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
P. strobus & cvs. (Eastern white pine)
early spring
b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
P. wallichiana & cvs. (Himalayan pine)
early spring
b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
Pseudolarix amabilis (kaempferi) (Goldenlarch)
spring
b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
Taxodium distichum (Baldcypress)
spring
b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
cg
no
b&b - best under 6’ ht
no
Thujopsis dolobrata (False arborvitae) Tsuga canadensis. & cvs. (Canadian hemlock)
early spring
alb host
conifer and hardwood
dig / plant field grown hazard
package size preference
bare root
alb host
Acer buergerianum (Trident maple)
spring
b&b
yes
7
A. griseum (Paperbark maple)
spring
cg or b&b
yes
7
A. rubrum & cvs. (Red maple)
spring
small b&b own-rooted
yes
7
A. saccharum & cvs. (Sugar maple)
early spring
b&b northern seed source
yes
7
Aesculus x carnea (Red horsechestnut)
spring
b&b
yes
7
A. glabra (Ohio buckeye)
early spring
b&b
b
7
A. hippocastanum (Horsechestnut)
spring
b&b
b
7
A. parviflora (Bottlebrush buckeye)
spring
cg or b&b
b
7
Amelanchier spp. (Serviceberry)
spring
cg or b&b if >1½”
no
Asimina triloba (Pawpaw)
early spring
cg or small b&b
b
Betula nigra & cvs. (River birch)
spring
b&b
no
7
B. papyrifera (Paperbirch)
spring
small b&b root pruned
no
7
B. pendula (European white birch)
spring
b&b
no
7
B. populifolia (Grey birch)
spring
b&b
no
7
Carpinus betulus & cvs. (European hornbeam)
spring
small b&b
no
C. caroliniana (American hornbeam)
early spring
no
Carya spp. (Hickory)
early spring
small b&b root pruned northern seed source small b&b
Castanea mollissima (Chinese chestnut)
early spring
small b&b
b
Catalpa speciosa (Northern catalpa)
early spring
small b&b
yes
Celtis occidentalis (Hackberry)
spring
b&b
yes
Cercidyphyllum japonicum (Katsuratree)
early spring
cg or small b&b
yes
Chionanthus virginicus (White fringetree)
early spring
cg or small b&b
b
species
hardwoods 1
b
7
conifer and hardwood
dig / plant field grown hazard
package size preference
bare root
Cladrastis kentukea (lutea) (American yellowwood)
early spring
small b&b northern seed source
yes
Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda dogwood)
early spring
small b&b
b
C. florida & cvs. (Flowering dogwood)
early spring
cg or small b&b root pruned
b
cg or small b&b
b
species
hardwoods 2
C. kousa & cvs. (Kousa dogwood) Corylus colurna (Turkish filbert)
spring
small b&b
b
Cotinus obovatus (American smoketree)
early spring
cg or small b&b
b
Crataegus spp. & cvs. (Hawthorn)
early springspring
small b&b
no
b&b
b
Davidia involucrata (Dovetree) Diospyros virginiana (Common persimmon)
early spring
small b&b
b
Fagus sylvatica & cvs. (European beech)
spring
b&b
no
Ginkgo biloba & cvs. (Ginkgo)
b&b
b
Gleditsia triacanthos var. & cvs. (Honeylocust)
b&b
yes
Gymnocladus dioicus (Kentucky coffeetree)
b&b
yes
cg or small b&b
b
small cg or small b&b
b
yes
Halesia tetraptera (carolina) & cvs. (Carolina silverbell)
early spring
Idesia polycarpa (Igiritree) Koelreuteria paniculata (Golden raintree)
spring
Liquidambar styraciflua & cvs. (American sweetgum)
early spring
small cg or small b&b northern seed source b&b northern seed source
Liriodendron tulipifera & cvs. (Tuliptree)
early spring
small b&b northern seed source
no
Magnolia spp. & cvs. (Magnolia)
early spring
small b&b
b
Nyssa sylvatica & cvs. (Black tupelo)
early spring
small b&b
no
Ostrya virginiana (American hophornbeam)
early spring
small cg or small b&b
no
Oxydendron arboreum (Sourwood)
early spring
small b&b
b
no
alb host
conifer and hardwood
dig / plant field grown hazard
package size preference
bare root
Parrotia persica (Persian ironwood)
spring
cg or b&b
b
Paulownia tomentosa (Royal paulownia)
spring
b&b
b
Phellodendron amurense (Amur corktree)
spring
b&b
b
Prunus spp. (Cherry)
spring
cg or small b&b
yes
Ptelea trifoliata (Common hoptree)
early spring
b&b
b
Pterostyrax hispida (Fragrant epaulette tree)
spring
cg or b&b
b
b&b
yes
species
hardwoods 3
Pyrus calleryana & cvs. (Callery pear) Quercus acutissima (Sawtooth oak)
spring
b&b
b
Q. alba (White oak)
early spring
small b&b root pruned
b
Q. bicolor (Swamp white oak)
small b&b
yes
Q. coccinea (Scarlet oak)
early spring or late fall early spring
small b&b
no
Q. imbricaria (Shingle oak)
early spring
small b&b
no
Q. macrocarpa (Bur oak)
early spring
small b&b
no
Q. marilandica (Blackjack oak)
early spring
b&b
b
Q. michauxii (Swamp chestnut oak)
early spring
b&b
b
Q. muehlenbergii (Chinkapin oak)
early spring
small b&b
b
b&b
yes
Q. palustris (Pin oak) Q. phellos (Willow oak)
early spring
b&b northern seed source
no
Q. robur & cvs. (English oak)
spring
b&b
no
Q. rubra (Red oak)
early spring
b&b
yes
Q. shumardii (Shumard oak)
spring
b&b
no
Q. stellata (Post oak)
early spring
small b&b
b
alb host
conifer and hardwood
dig / plant field grown hazard
package size preference
bare root
Quercus velutina (Black oak)
early spring
b&b
b
Robinia pseudoacacia (Black locust)
early spring
b&b
b
Sorbus spp. (Mountainash)
early spring
b&b
b
Stewartia spp. (Stewartia)
spring
cg or small b&b
b
Styrax japonicus & cvs. (Japanese snowbell)
early spring
b&b
b
Tilia americana & cvs. (Basswood)
b&b
yes
T. cordata & cvs. (Littleleaf linden)
b&b
yes
species
alb host
hardwoods 4
T. tomentosa & cvs. (Silver linden)
spring
b&b
no
Zelkova serrata & cvs. (Zelkova)
spring
b&b
b
7
conifer and hardwood
references