Newly Planted Street Tree Growth and Mortality

Abstract

Two-year growth and mortality rates were analyzed for 254 black locust, 199 southern magnolia and 27 London plane trees planted along a major boulevard extending from southern Berkeley through western inner-city Oakland, California. After the first two years, 34% of these newly planted trees were either dead or removed. The average annual mortality rate was 19% with no significant difference in mortality among the species or between years. Areas of lower socio-economic status exhibited the most tree mortality with pecent mortality most strongly correlated with percent unemployment (r=0.78). Trees with adjacent land uses of apartments and public greenspaces had significantly high mortality while trees next to single family houses and rapid transit stations exhibited low mortality.