Water Requirements of Five Container-Grown Acer Species

Abstract

Relative water demand, RWD, of 2-year-old containerized seedlings of red maple (Acer rubrum L.), sugar maple (A. saccharum Marsh.), silver maple (A. saccharinum L.), Norway Maple (A. platanoides L.) and boxelder (A. negundo L.) was determined by comparing potential evapotranspiration rates and actual water consumption values with growth rates for each species. Based on differences in growth rate, each species was determined to be either fast growing (red maple, silver maple, boxelder) or slow growing (sugar maple, Norway maple). Fast growing species used the most water over the 3-month experimental period (June-August), and had the higher RWD. The actual irrigation demand for each species was closely correlated with monthly potential evapotranspiration rates as determined by the Thornthwaite equation.