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Looking for urban trees for the future

Looking for urban trees for the future

Research Urban Greenery 2021

In 2009, the Bavarian State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture in Veitshöchheim, Germany, started the Urban Greenery 2021 project: a pilot to test new and so far little-used tree species and therefore to provide the widest possible range of tree species and varieties in practice. A range that has good resistance to the city climate and to heat and drought stress. Twenty tree species were chosen on the basis of the following criteria: tolerance to drought stress, resistance to frost (particularly late in the spring), location requirements/high pH tolerance, limited susceptibility to diseases, no known sensitivity to harmful organisms and pests (EPPO list), evaluation in practice and growth form.

Interim research results

The Urban Greenery 2021 project is in the eighth study year. Every year, the trees are investigated for growth (trunk circumference, side branches, leading shoot), frost damage, drought stress, pests and for phenology (emerging leaves, change of leaf colour, falling leaves) in early July and mid-September. Although there are still four years of the study to go, thanks to the extreme summers and winters over the past years, the results for a group of trees planted in 2009-2010 are good enough for an interim regional evaluation.

Assessment of tolerance to frost and salt for the various study species

Study species

KLAM
tolerance to frost

Urban Greenery 2021
tolerance to frost

Urban Greenery 2021
tolerance to salt

Tolerance to salt
literature

Acer buergerianum 1 - - +
Acer monspessulanum 2 + + + not specified
Alnus x spaethii 1 + + +
Carpinus betulus 'Frans Fontaine' 1 + - -
Celtis australis 3 - - ? not specified
Fraxinus ornus 4 + + + not specified
Fraxinus pennsylvanica 'Summit' 1 + + + +
Ginkgo biloba  2 + + +
Gleditsia triacanthos 'Skyline' 2 + + + +
Liquidambar styraciflua 3 + + + not specified
Magnolia kobus 2 + + - -
Ostrya carpinifolia 1 + + -
Parrotia persica not specified + + +
Quercus cerris 2 + + + +
Quercus frainetto 'Trump' 2 ? + not specified
Quercus x hispanica 'Wageningen' not specified ? + not specified
Styphnolobium japonicum 'Regent' 2 - + +
Tilia tomentosa 'Brabant' 2 - - not specified
Ulmus 'Lobel' 1 + + + +
Zelkova serrata 'Green Vase' 2 - + +

 

Key:

KLAM KlimaArtenMatrix (Climate-tree matrix)
1 very good winter hardiness
2 good winter hardiness
3 problematic winter hardiness
4 very limited winter hardiness
   
+ + very high tolerance to frost
+ high tolerance to frost
- limited tolerance to frost
- - no tolerance to frost
   
+ tolerant to salt
- sensitive to salt

Acer monspessulanum


More information in the TreeEbb
Acer monspessulanum

Acer rubrum 'Somerset'


More information in the TreeEbb
Acer rubrum 'Somerset'

Carpinus betulus 'Frans Fontaine'


More information in the TreeEbb
Carpinus betulus 'Frans Fontaine'

Fraxinus pennsylvanica 'Summit'


More information in the TreeEbb
Fraxinus pennsylvanica 'Summit'

Gleditsia triacanthos 'Skyline'


Winner: drought stress - heat stress

More information in the TreeEbb
Gleditsia triacanthos 'Skyline'

Liquidambar styraciflua


Winner: drought stress - heat stress

More information in the TreeEbb
Liquidambar styraciflua

Magnolia kobus


Winner: drought stress - heat stress

More information in the TreeEbb
Magnolia kobus

Ostrya carpinifolia


More information in the TreeEbb
Ostrya carpinifolia

Platanus orientalis


More information in the TreeEbb
Platanus orientalis

Quercus cerris


Winner: frost damage - winter hardiness -

More information in the TreeEbb
Quercus cerris

Quercus frainetto 'Trump'


Winner: drought stress - heat stress

More information in the TreeEbb
Quercus frainetto 'Trump'

Quercus x hispanica 'Wageninen'


Winner: drought stress - heat stress

More information in the TreeEbb
Quercus x hispanica 'Wageninen'

Sorbus latifolia 'Henk Vink'


More information in the TreeEbb
Sorbus latifolia 'Henk Vink'

Styphnolobium japonicum 'Regent'


Winner: drought stress - heat stress

More information in the TreeEbb
Styphnolobium japonicum 'Regent'

Tilia americana 'Redmond'


More information in the TreeEbb
Tilia americana 'Redmond'

Tilia tomentosa 'Brabant'


More information in the TreeEbb
Tilia tomentosa 'Brabant'

Ulmus 'Lobel'


Winner: drought stress - heat stress

More information in the TreeEbb
Ulmus 'Lobel'

Ulmus 'Rebona'

Ulmus 'Rebona'

Zelkova serrata 'Flekova'


Winner: drought stress - heat stress

More information in the TreeEbb
Zelkova serrata 'Flekova'

View all winners?

Read the whole article

View all winners?

More about the study?

To the website of the LWG

More about the study?
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