Studies on Spiraea x vanhouteii Growth Under the Influence of Sun Exposure

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to show the influence of built environment over plant development in urban areas. It is well known that environmental factors are influenced by the built environment and human activities within the cities. Built environment affects especially the temperature of ambient due to the interaction between solar radiations, the materials from which buildings and streets are made of, as well as the urban design. Direct sun exposure and its direct effects are most affected by urban tissue configuration within the area. Observations were made over phenological evolution of Spiraea x vanhouttei species during four years, in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The study area was selected because the environmental conditions (precipitations, wind, pollution etc.) that can affect the development of hedges are identical, except for sun exposure. The shading period, established with the sun-study tool of ArchiCAD, to which the plants were exposed, differ on the north and south part of the study area respectively, and thus generated differences regarding the phenological stages of leaf development and flowering.