Red oak (Quercus rubra L.) condition and morphological traits differences in southern Lithuanian forest

Abstract

In Lithuanian forests the first red oaks were introduced about 1875. Today stands mostly are 40-60 years old. In Lithuania still dominates opinion, that Q.rubra L. has better volume growth than Q. robur and is economically more profitable to raise this alien oak. This index encour-iged to plant more Q. rubra in the forest. But only a few scientists consider it as invasive tree. The paper analyses condition of the fruiting age red oaks in the forest stands, phenotype differences, morphological traits relations to site types, tree position at stand and relation to stand age. Some significant differences or tendencies were detected in several life history and norphological traits.