Distribution of foliage on open-grown white fir and Douglas-fir in northern New Mexico, U.S.A.

Abstract

Foliage area and needle biomass of Douglas-fir, Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco, were distributed in the ratio of 1:3.5:2 in the upper, middle, and lower crown. In white fir, Abiesconcolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl., the ratio was 1:2:1. The 1979 new shoots growth, expressed as a percent of the total needle weight for the branch, decreased from the top of the crown to the bottom in Douglas-fir and from the top to the middle in white fir. The weight of the foliage in Douglas-fir ranged from 14 to 38 kg. The range in white fir was from 22 to 59 kg.