Conditional Growth

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Ivor Davies
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:37 am

Conditional Growth

Post by Ivor Davies » Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:29 pm

Rain, rain and more rain: the wettest year ever so far - so they say.

The trees in this burg are flourishing, just driving (or walking) around appears to show canopy growth way beyond normal. Is there any correlation between excessive moisture and canopy growth in the textbooks: details please.
Jerry
Posts: 100
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:11 pm

Post by Jerry » Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:43 pm

Well, it's going to depend on whether a species shows determinate or indeterminate growth, right? Those with indeterminate growth patterns (e.g., many maples) will keep growing as long as water and nutrients are available, so they will show immediately the effects of this year's unusual moisture levels.

Species with determinate growth (e.g., many oaks), on the other hand, will form a terminal bud and stop for the year--except young individuals, that will form the bud and then break it again ("lammas growth"), something I am seeing on my property with young bur oaks at the moment but not young chinkapin oaks.

Not sure if this is what you meant...
Ivor Davies
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:37 am

Post by Ivor Davies » Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:38 am

Thanks Jerry, a tremendous help. Is there a list of tree species (where can I find it on the web?) that gives determinate and indeterminate growth capability in common tree species found in N/E America? We have a lot of maple in our area which illustrates your point: the reason, maybe, for the hugh increase in canopy cover this year.
Jerry
Posts: 100
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:11 pm

Post by Jerry » Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:56 am

I don't know of one, but you can try looking through the results of Googling "indeterminate growth trees."

Glad that helped.
Ivor Davies
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:37 am

Post by Ivor Davies » Thu Aug 14, 2008 2:23 pm

Jerry, seems we have determinate, semi-determinate and interdeterminate tree growth habits. Really, what I am searching for is a guesstimate yardstick on the clearly visible canopy growth we have seen so far this year, due, it appears, to excessive rainfall: this is not to say we have any flooding in our area although our sump pump has been working overtime. My guess, overall, with lots of maple would be 10%. What's your guess with the young burr oaks you have on your property?
Jerry
Posts: 100
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:11 pm

Post by Jerry » Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:39 pm

Oh yeah, sort of forgot about the semi-determinate. My bad.

On my young bur oak trees I have seen easily a 50% increase in primary growth this summer, and even more on truly indeterminate species like hackberry or poplar. But I have no idea what that says about older trees, or secondary growth, or root mass.
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