Hardwoods are susceptible to site quality; therefore, although they will grow throughout the range, they grow far better on sites beneficial to particular hardwood species. Some hardwoods grow well on poorer sites, whereas others only grow well on the most productive sites.
Many different ecological zones within the Appalachian Mountains support different hardwood regimes. Northwest North Carolina is primarily in the Southern Appalachian ecological zone, with northern hardwood ecosystems in isolated areas in the highest elevations. This article will discuss the best hardwood trees growing within our area of northwest North Carolina.
The Best Hardwood Trees For Our Area
There is no easy answer to the question of which hardwoods are best for our geographic area. The answer depends on the parameters you choose when making the decision.
For example, you can choose which hardwood trees are best suited for this area from the standpoint of the ecological region, the site quality of the area you are interested in, or the resource management objectives. All three parameters will affect the answer, but focusing on the site quality and management objectives will define the answer more specifically.
Best Hardwoods Within the Ecological Region In Our Area
The general ecological zone within our area of North Carolina includes sections of the upper Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountain regions within the Southern Appalachian range. The timber types associated with this region are diverse, so most hardwood species are well-suited to grow there.
As already mentioned, any hardwood will grow in the area depending on local site quality. From the point of view of the ecological region in which the area is located, only a few hardwood species are less suitable for most of the region.
Although these trees grow in selected higher elevations, they are rare and do not grow at nearly the same quality and health as they do in more northern harewood timber types. These species include sugar maple, birch, buckeye, black cherry, and black walnut. When you go just a bit north of our area or climb to above 4000 feet elevation, you will see better-quality specimens of these trees in the forest.
Although sugar maple, black cherry, and black walnut are very valuable timber trees, they do not grow well in the lower range. The valuable trees are grown north of our area in the higher elevations and Allegheny Region.
Best Hardwood Trees In Our Area According To Site Quality
As discussed in the last section, the better way to answer the question of what hardwood trees are best for our area is to look at site quality within the area you are interested in. The region will support various hardwood species, as discussed, but individual hardwood species grow best on specific site qualities.
You should select the hardwood species that best fits a site by establishing the site index for the different species and then managing individual or groups of species based on the site index. This way, you can ensure that the best hardwood trees are grown according to site quality.
Site index is the total height to which dominant trees of a given species will grow on a given site at some index age, usually 25 or 50 years in the Southeast.
Site index relates to soil types, site quality, and timber production. The higher the site index of a tree of the same species is, the better the site quality is. Each hardwood species has specific growth patterns related to that species and, therefore, will produce different site indices according to species on a particular site.
For example, a site index for red oak might be 70 feet on a site, and the yellow poplar next to it may have a site index of 90 feet. This shows the different growth characteristics of the species on a particular site.
The site quality of the site is the same; however, the site index is different for the two species because of species growth characteristics. Thankfully, research has given us numbers for what site index relates to growth for individual species in terms of poor, average, or high-growth potential by species.
If you have a high rating for red or white oak in an area, then that will be a good site to manage for these species. However, yellow-poplar will also rate a high value on the site, and because it has a higher site index, you will need to manage accordingly to ensure the oak can also be a part of the future stand.
Site quality is the way to determine which hardwood trees are best for our area, but it requires an understanding of all the factors involved and management objectives. A forester should be used to determine site quality so that a proper decision can be made for your particular site.
Best Hardwood Trees In Our Area According To Management Objectives
To fully answer which hardwood trees are best for our area, you should combine site quality with management objectives. This is best done by working with a forester who fully understands the dynamics of forest management.
Different hardwoods are better suited for different management objectives. If timber production in a shorter time frame is the objective, yellow-poplar on high-quality sites is the best hardwood species to manage. If high-quality hardwood timber products are the goal, then red oak and white oak, yellow-poplar, hickory, and red maple on average to high-quality sites would work.
If you have wildlife habitat objectives, then oaks, beech, hickory, and soft mast-producing hardwoods should be included in the species you are managing.
These are only a few examples of the best hardwoods to grow in our area. To fully maximize the many outcomes provided by a hardwood stand in our area, you should utilize the services of a forester to assist with developing a forest plan for your property.
Select Hardwoods Lumber Provides Hardwood Products In Our Area
Select Hardwoods markets the lumber produced by the Church & Church Lumber Company Sawmill to our customers worldwide. We kiln dry premier Appalachian hardwoods for millwork, furniture, flooring, and other high-end applications throughout the United States and worldwide.
We specialize in producing high-quality hardwood products procured from across the Southern Appalachians, which is known for its abundant hardwood timber. We supply hardwood species such as white oak, red oak, hickory, ash, beech, cherry, walnut, and yellow poplar in various dimensions and grades to fit your needs.
Select Hardwoods maintains an updated inventory of our products so that we can fill your orders as needed. If we do not have what you need in the wood yard, just let us know, and we will work to fill that need as well.
Select Hardwoods is a division of Church and Church Lumber Company, a major buyer of timber products from private land in the mountains of North Carolina, providing income to landowners and jobs throughout the state. Income from the sale of timber products can fund proper land management activities for various natural resources.
If you wish to work directly with a lumber mill for hardwoods, then contact us to discuss your hardwood lumber needs. We can also assist you with forestry management.