Stress Tolerant Trees for the Southern Great Plains

Abstract

The continental climate of the southern Great Plains is often extreme, and many deciduous forest trees do not adapt well to a prairie site. Nevertheless, through proper selection from climatic analogues in other countries and capitalizing on stress-tolerant native species, many adapted trees are available for urban plantings. Selection criteria include tolerance to summer heat, drought and sudden changes in winter temperatures. Matching species preference with soil and other site characteristics can improve tree survival and add diversity to the urban landscape.