Observations of the Naturalization of Pinus in Kansas

Abstract

In a few rare cases reported here, several species of pines introduced into Kansas have produced viable seed and wild seedlings as they reach reproductive maturity. This report covers all known cases of reproduction of pines in Kansas over a 7 year period, and attempts to identify the factors leading to successful establishment. Trans. Kans. Acad. Sci., Vol. 77 (3), 1974. Botanists and taxonomists agree that within the limits of recorded history there are no representatives of the genus Pinus in Kansas. Historic taxonomic works of the State and the Great Plains region show that, of the order CONIFERALES subdivision Gymnospermae, the only species is eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L. : Cuppressaceae). Mirov (2) has reported that leaves and cones of Pinus quenstedti Heer, a long extinct species of the Cretaceous period, were located in Southwestern Kansas by Lesquereux in 1883. I have found no other record of natural historic or prehistoric pines in Kansas. The report of this species may hold paleobotanical importance but is of no apparent significance in recent times. Whatever the reasons for the absence of pinus from the native flora of Kansas, the purpose here is to report the few known cases of volunteer reproduction of certain introduced pine species. Extensive travel throughout Kansas by field foresters during the past decade has provided the opportunity to investigate numerous pine plantations of reproductive age; but those listed in the table are the only known cases of volunteer reproduction. Pines have been planted in Kansas since the time of the earliest settlers. Though many of the early plantings were of only a few trees and many were probably unsuccessful, there are scattered remnants of some old plantings which originated nearly 120 years ago. Additionally, there are increasingly large numbers of pine plantings of younger ages still surviving. A list of the species of pines that have been observed to produce volunteer seedlings are shown in Table 1. In all cases, the trees were planted in groves or rows of six or more, probably from only one original source. The reproductive performance of some species is quite significant, notably the white, Austrian, Scots, and red pines. In the case of Ponderosa pine, it is remarkable that the only instance of reproduction was noted in an old provenance test plot on the grounds of the Forestry Building at Manhattan. The records of this planting have been lost, but it was planted in 1942 as a replicated test of performance of this species from over 30 geographic sources. Although Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, Vol. 77, No. 3, 1974. Published December 5, 1975.