Oak Provenance Research: The Michaux Quercetum After 25 Years

Abstract

Growth and survival data after 25 years are given for trees representing 92 seedlots from known geographic origins of 12 eastern American oak species. Both survival and growth depended more on the genetic characteristics of the parent tree than on its geographic origin. No single species was clearly superior to others in either growth or survival, and there was sufficient variation within all species to allow for meaningful selection for higher survival and more rapid growth. Growth at age 25 was significantly correlated with growth at age 13, so the selection process could begin at the earlier age.