EASTERN RED CEDAR AS AN AMENDMENT TO PINE BARK IN THE PRODUCTION OF ORNAMENTAL SPECIES^©

Increasing energy cost has resulted in the use of pine bark (PB) as an alternative resource of clean fuels (Lu et al., 2006). Increasing demand for bark coincides with the slowly declining timber industry (Haynes, 2003). Without a decrease of energy cost in sight and PB remaining as the horticulture industry’s standard media for container grown production shortages could occur (Yeager et al., 2007).
Many areas are looking for locally available plant material as alternate substrate components.
Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) had become a “weed species” throughout many parts of the Great Plains and Midwest.
Thus far, eastern red cedar has been identified as a viable amendment incorporated, at different percentages, into a PB:sand substrate mixture evaluating seedling growth of Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis) and Indian-cherry (Frangula caroliniana) (Griffin, 2009). Results from evaluation of Acer saccharinum seed propagation in varying eastern red cedar:sand:PB percentages concluded cedar could be a potential replacement for pine bark with further development of substrate physical properties (Starr et al., 2010). When Taxodium distichum was evaluated in PB : sand substrates amended with percentages of eastern red cedar, data concluded that there was little significant difference in plant height between the treatments (Starr et al., 2011). So far, limited research has been done with ornamental nursery crop production.
The objective of this study was to evaluate Eastern red cedar (C) as an alternative substrate to pine bark in the nursery production of ornamental species.

Proceedings of the International Plant Propagators Society – 2012

L. Edwards, C.H. Gilliam, G.B. Fain , J.L. Sibley

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.1014.95