Damage to Southern Michigan Conifers During the Winter of 1976-77

In southern Michigan, the winter of 1976-1977 was marked by unseasonably cold weather in early December, prolonged cold weather in December and January, severe drought at 'the onset of cold weather, and by higher than average absolute minimum temperatures. Damage, presumably from the early December cold weather, was severe to southern seedlots of ponderosa pine, Austrian pine from the western Mediterranean, Cryptomeria, Spanish origin Scotch pines planted in low-lying areas, and southern seedlots of white fir. Surprisingly, there was little damage to eastern white pine from the southern Appalachians, southwestern white pine from Arizona and New Mexico, baldcypress and Metasequoia. Comparisons between laboratory and field experiments indicate that laboratory experiments can give useful information about the temperatures at which appreciable injury can be expected in the field.

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Author(s): Jonathan W. Wright, Donald DeHayes, Walter A. Lemmien

Publication: Tree Improvement and Genetics - Lake States Forest Tree Improvement Conference - 1977