Spacing Eucalyptus grandis in Southern Florida

Abstract

The volume in merchantable trees (4 inches d.b.h. and larger) was about the same at spacing of 4 x 8, 8 x 8, 12 x 8, and 16 x 8 feet for Eucalyptus grandis trees at plantation age 7.4 years in Glades County, florida. Total volume in all stems however, was 1.7 times greater at the closest spacing than at the two widest spacings. Thus, in a convemtional pulpwood system, merchantable yields equal to those from closer spacings at lower cost for establishment and harvest. However, if merchantability limitscould be circumvented by field chipping small tress, volume yields 16  to 68 percent greatercould be achieved by planting at close spacings, Neither wood quality nor tree height was appreciably affected by standstand density over the range of spacings tested. if the harvesting system is unknown at planting time a spacing of about 6 x 12 feet is probably best.

Citation

Meskimen, Goerge; Franklin, E. C. 1978. Spacing Eucalyptus grandis in Southern Florida. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry. 1(1): 3-5.