CARPINUS BETULUS CV FASTIGIATA—THEIR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN SUBURBAN DUBLIN

Abstract

The growth rate of Carpinus betulus cv Fastigiata planted in the early and mid 1980s the inner suburbs of Dublin (Ireland) was examined. The trees were growing in the following conditions, in a grassed level area in a public park, planting pits surrounded by tarmacadam in an adjacent street, in a grassed median strip between a footpath and road and in a planting pit bordered by concrete and a concrete kerb. Records of tree height, girth and crown spread of 241 trees were taken. The mean height of trees planted in 1985 in Herbert Park, urban park was 12.92m, while the mean value of street trees in the same scheme outside the Park was 12.46m. The corresponding results for girth were 0.92m and 0.88m and for crown spread were 6.47 and 5.87. The mean height of trees planted in the early 1980s on Ailesbury Road was 14.53m while on Appian Way it was 13.55m, with the respective girth values being 1.04m and 1.02m and the mean crown spread 8.18m and 5.63m. The replanting rate varied from 5.5% to 21% which is considerably less than a general estimate of 25%-50% for the United Kingdom and 30% in Helsinki (Finland). In no location have the trees attained a height of 18m which is given as the average height of this cultivar in urban areas, however in one location the crown spread is greater than the 8 metres given for the cultivar.