Tree structure

1. Tree structure By Edward F. Gilman Department of Environmental Horticulture University of Florida http://hort.ufl.edu/woody/planting

2. Tree Structure What’s the Problem?

3. What is good structure? Outline of topics • Forest grown vs. open grown tree • Codominant stems • Good branch attachment • Structurally sound tree

4. Forest grown tree How do they develop on their own? vs.. Open grown tree

5. Trees in the forest grow with one trunk, and codominant stems toward the top of the tree

6. Codominant stems form far up into the canopy on most forest trees

7. Open grown trees • Canopy develops low on the trunk • Canopy spreads wide • Tree is often wider than tall

8. Its party time for all Its all about access to sunlight

10. Appears to be a nice tree

11. Close-up of base of tree

12. Hugecrack Same tree five years later

13. “Fall down go boom tree” Keep an eye on this side of the tree

14. “I thought I heard something creak last night”

15. What is good structure? Outline of topics • Forest grown vs. open grown tree • Codominant stems • Good branch attachment • Structurally sound tree

16. 2.Codominant stems Stems nearly same diameter

18. These are weak “Elephant ears” Severely acute angle

19. Why are they a problem? Included barkbeginning to form

20. Bark inclusion Decay and discoloration from self wounding

21. Bark inclusion Closed crack indicating inclusion Near-normal wood formation

22. Closure crack indicating inclusion Bark inclusion

23. Bark inclusion (Not a codominant stem!)

24. Close-up of closure crack

25. What is good structure? Outline of topics • Forest grown vs. open grown tree • Codominant stems • Good branch attachment • Structurally sound tree

26. 3. Good branch attachment • How does a BRANCH form? • What are the indicators?

29. Branch bark ridge present • Some branch unions have a prominent branch bark ridge

30. No branch bark ridge Collar

31. Pine union • Collar is visible as a swelling at the base of the branch • Branch bark ridge (arrows) is visible as a dark, rough bark region on the top and sides of the union

32. Wood orientation at union • Peel the bark from the union • Note how trunk wood grows out onto the base of the branch (dotted line is edge of trunk wood)

33. Desirable branch size

35. Strong union Weak union

36. What is good structure? Outline of topics • Forest grown vs. open grown tree • Codominant stems • Good branch attachment • Structurally sound tree

37. 4. Structurally sound tree • Scaffold branches spaced vertically. • Rule of thumb: about 5% of tree’s ultimate height. • Scaffold branches spaced radially; none directly above another. • Consistently maintain 60% L.C.R.

38. Good structure

39. Stems too close together

40. Pruning – Is a solution that will be discussed in another presentation.

41. Tree structure By Edward F. Gilman Department of Environmental Horticulture University of Florida http://hort.ufl.edu/woody/planting