1/13/2016

1

http://www.louisdallaraphotography.com

Intro to Trees and Tree Selection

Andrew Koeser, BCMA, Ph.D.University of Florida IFAS – Gulf Coast REC

First….a story

Bristlecone Pines – The Story of Prometheuswww.fs.u

sda.go

v

travel.nationalgeographic.com

www.etsy.com

The Physiology and Biology of Mature Trees Introduction

1/13/2016

2

The Physiology and Biology of Mature Trees Introduction

www.modern50.com

Bristlecone Pines – The Story of Prometheus

www.W

ikiped

ia.org

Bristlecone Pines – The Story of Prometheus

Back at the lab…

The Physiology and Biology of Mature Trees Introduction

Day 1:• 1000 growth rings counted

www.Wikipedia.org

http

://www.nps.go

v

Bristlecone Pines – The Story of Prometheus

Back at the lab…

The Physiology and Biology of Mature Trees Introduction

Day 1:• 1000 growth rings counted

Day 2:• 2000 growth rings counted

www.Wikipedia.org

http

://www.nps.go

v

1/13/2016

3

Bristlecone Pines – The Story of Prometheus

Back at the lab…

The Physiology and Biology of Mature Trees Introduction

Day 1:• 1000 growth rings counted

Day 2:• 2000 growth rings counted

Several Days Later…• Approximately 4900 growth rings counted!!

http

://www.nps.go

v

www.W

ikiped

ia.org

Bristlecone Pines – The Story of Prometheus

The Physiology and Biology of Mature Trees Introduction

What do you do after discovering you just killed the world’s oldest* living tree…wait…organism??

*documented

www.W

ikiped

ia.org

The Physiology and Biology of Mature Trees Introduction

What do you do after discovering you just killed the world’s oldest* living tree…wait…organism??

*documented

• Write a paper about it….

Currey, D.R. 1965. An Ancient Bristlecone Pine Stand in Eastern Nevada. Ecology 46(4):564–566

1/13/2016

4

The Physiology and Biology of Mature Trees Introduction

What do you do after discovering you just killed the world’s oldest* living tree…wait…organism??

*documented

• Write a paper about it….• Get a lot of hate mail…

letterstotheeditorblog.dallasnew

s.com

The Physiology and Biology of Mature Trees Introduction

What do you do after discovering you just killed the world’s oldest* living tree…wait…organism??

*documented

• Write a paper about it….• Get a lot of hate mail…• Devote your career to salt 

flats…

www.W

ikiped

ia.org

The Physiology and Biology of Mature Trees Introduction

What do you do after discovering you just killed the world’s oldest* living tree…wait…organism??

*documented

• Write a paper about it….• Get a lot of hate mail…• Devote your career to salt 

flats• Make sure no else makes 

the same mistake…

1/13/2016

5

Back to Tree Selection…

• Not every tree you plant will live as long as Prometheus.

• Tree longevity is tied to:• Individual plant traits• Site conditions• Disturbances

• If these three things are considered, your tree has the greatest potential to grow to maturity

400‐year‐old bonsai in Japan

Back to Tree Selection…

• Not every tree you plant will live as long as Prometheus.

• Tree longevity is tied to:• Individual plant traits• Site conditions• Disturbances

• If these three things are considered, your tree has the greatest potential to grow to maturity

Back to Tree Selection…

• Not every tree you plant will live as long as Prometheus.

• Tree longevity is tied to:• Individual plant traits• Site conditions• Disturbances

• If these three things are considered, your tree has the greatest potential to grow to maturity

1/13/2016

6

Back to Tree Selection…

• Not every tree you plant will live as long as Prometheus.

• Tree longevity is tied to:• Individual plant traits• Site conditions• Disturbances

• If these three things are considered, your tree has the greatest potential to grow to maturity

Back to Tree Selection…

• Not every tree you plant will live as long as Prometheus.

• Tree longevity is tied to:• Individual plant traits• Site conditions• Disturbances

• If these three things are considered, your tree has the greatest potential to grow to maturity John Andrew Wagner

Back to Tree Selection…

• Not every tree you plant will live as long as Prometheus.

• Tree longevity is tied to:• Individual plant traits• Site conditions• Disturbances

• If these three things are considered, your tree has the greatest potential to grow to maturity

1/13/2016

7

Today’s Game Plan – Tree Selection and Health

Tree Selection

• Selecting for Long‐term Health

• Selecting for Function and Aesthetics

• Selecting Nursery Materials

Tree Health

• Planting Balled‐and‐Burlapped Trees

• Insights from a Statewide Assessment of Tree Planting Success

Wikimedia Commons

Selecting Trees for Long‐term Health

What is the…

• Plant Hardiness Zone?

• Soil Texture / Structure ?

• Above/Belowground Space

• Soil pH ?

• Drainage ?

• Soil Salinity ?

• Light Exposure ?

1/13/2016

8

What is the…

• Plant Hardiness Zone?

• Soil Texture / Structure?

• Above/Belowground Space

• Soil pH ?

• Drainage ?

• Soil Salinity ?

• Light Exposure ?

1/13/2016

9

What is the…

• Plant Hardiness Zone?

• Soil Texture / Structure?

• Above/Belowground Space?

• Soil pH ?

• Drainage ?

• Soil Salinity ?

• Light Exposure ?

1/13/2016

10

What is the…

• Plant Hardiness Zone?

• Soil Texture / Structure?

• Above/Belowground Space?

• Soil pH?

• Drainage ?

• Soil Salinity ?

• Light Exposure ?

1/13/2016

11

What is the…

• Plant Hardiness Zone?

• Soil Texture / Structure?

• Above/Belowground Space?

• Soil pH?

• Drainage?

• Soil Salinity ?

• Light Exposure ?

1/13/2016

12

What is the…

• Plant Hardiness Zone?

• Soil Texture / Structure?

• Above/Belowground Space?

• Soil pH?

• Drainage?

• Soil Salinity?

• Light Exposure ?

1/13/2016

13

What is the…

• Plant Hardiness Zone?

• Soil Texture / Structure?

• Above/Belowground Space?

• Soil pH?

• Drainage?

• Soil Salinity?

• Light Exposure?

1/13/2016

14

Selecting Trees for Function and Aesthetics

1/13/2016

15

Tree Functions

Certified Arborist Training – Tree ID Tree Selection

• Microclimate management (shading/wind breaks)

• Screening

• Ornamental flowers/features

• Fruit production

• Attracting wildlife

Tree Aesthetics

Certified Arborist Training – Tree ID Tree Selection

• Showy Flowers• Attractive Fruit• Attractive Bark• Interesting Foliage

• Exceptional Fall Color

Pink Trumpet Tree(Tabebuia heterophylla)

Golden Trumpet Tree(Handroanthus chrysotrichus)

Flowers

Bottle Brush(Callistemon viminalis)

Jacaranda(Jacaranda mimosifolia)

Oleander(Nerium oleander)

Tree Characteristics ‐ General

1/13/2016

16

Tree Aesthetics

Certified Arborist Training – Tree ID Tree Selection

• Showy Flowers• Attractive Fruit• Attractive Bark• Interesting Foliage

• Exceptional Fall Color

Fruit/Seeds 

Sea G

rape

(Cocco

lobauvifera

)

Achiote

(Bixaorellana)

Golden

 Trumpet Tree 

(Tabebuiachrysotricha)

Tree Characteristics ‐ Specific

Tree Aesthetics

Certified Arborist Training – Tree ID Tree Selection

• Showy Flowers• Attractive Fruit• Attractive Bark• Interesting Foliage

• Exceptional Fall Color

1/13/2016

17

Bark

Silk Floss Tree(Chorisia speciosa)

Sand Live Oak(Quercus geminata)

River Birch(Betula nigra)

Tree Characteristics ‐ General

Tree Aesthetics

Certified Arborist Training – Tree ID Tree Selection

• Showy Flowers• Attractive Fruit• Attractive Bark• Interesting Foliage

• Exceptional Fall Color

Leaves

Starburst

(Clerodendrum

quadriloculare)

Southern M

agnolia

(Magnolia grandiflo

ra)

Tree Characteristics ‐ General

1/13/2016

18

Tree Aesthetics

Certified Arborist Training – Tree ID Tree Selection

• Showy Flowers• Attractive Fruit• Attractive Bark• Interesting Foliage

• Exceptional Fall Color

Form

Earpod Tree(Enterlobium cyclocarpum)

Tree Characteristics ‐ General

Other Defining Characteristics

Bald Cypress(Taxodium distichum)

Winged Elm(Ulmus alata)

1/13/2016

19

Tools for Tree Selection (and ID)

Tree Selection ‐ Survivability

Certified Arborist Training – Tree ID Tree SelectionCheck Hardiness Zone!

UF/IFAS Florida Tree Selector

http://lyra.ifas.ufl.edu/FloridaTrees/

1/13/2016

20

UF/IFAS Florida Tree Selector

General Tab

Uses

1/13/2016

21

Size and Shape

Attributes

1/13/2016

22

Book Version

Features

• 140 species from to N. and C. FL

• 1 page pictures:1 page text

• Species cross‐referenced with other 

key resources

• Truncated Key with Tabs

• Basic Taxonomy/Glossary

• Index and Checklists

• Ruler/Hardiness Zone Map

• Native/Invasive/Abundance/Size

• Pocket‐sized/Competitively Priced

• Reference List

App Version

Features

• Potential to expand species list (over 

300 currently photographed)

• Additional images

• Filters

• Interactive dichotomous key 

navigation

• Glossary hyperlinks

• Expanded Reference List

• Android/IOs

1/13/2016

23

1/13/2016

24

Selecting Nursery Materials

Tree Selection ‐ Health

Certified Arborist Training – Tree ID Tree Selection

When purchasing trees, look for the following indications of tree health• Full crown • Proper leaf, color, shape, 

and size• Free of insects/disease• No wilting• Acceptable yearly growth

Chlorotic Leaves

Tree Selection ‐ Quality

Certified Arborist Training – Tree ID Tree Selection

Look for trees with:• A single, dominant trunk• Minimal branch 

defects/broken branches

• Trunk clear of defects/wounds

• Adequate root ball size• Not pot bound or 

planted too deep• Live roots (light in color)• No visible circling roots

1/13/2016

25

1/13/2016

26

Thanks!