Dr. Bassuk took a typical "Fall Transplant
Hazards" list from a nursery website and
highlighted in yellow the tree taxa she's
successfully planted bare root in the fall
at 1.5 inch (38 mm) caliper. She notes
that these lists are based on observations
that don't control for size and production
method (among other factors).
In the UHI publication, Creating the Urban Forest:
The Bare Root Method, are lists of tree species and
cultivars that, with proper consideration, Bassuk has
found easy, moderate, or difficult to transplant bare
root. These lists should be considered in tandem with
the findings of Dr. Bassuk's latest research, as sum-
marized in this story. Consider, too, your own climate,
planting site conditions, and ability to achieve the
bare root best practices as laid out in the UHI guide.
The three principal nursery production methods, left to right: bare root, container
grown, and balled and burlapped (B&B). Illustration by Olivia DiRenzo
Typical Fall Hazards
Abies concolor — Concolor Fir
Acer rubrum — Red Maple
Acer japonica — Full Moon Maple
Acer saccharinum — Silver Maple
Acer freemanii — Freeman Maple
Betula (all) — Birch
Carpinus (all) — American Hornbeam
Cedrus deodara — Blue Atlas Cedar
Celtis (all) — Hackberry
Cercis canadensis — Redbud
Cornus (all) — Dogwood
Crataegus (all) — Hawthorn
Cupressocyparis leylandii
— Leyland Cypress
Fagus (all) — Beech
Ilex 'Fosterii' — Foster Holly
Ilex 'Nellie Stevens' — Nellie Stevens Holly
Ilex opaca 'Greenleaf' — American Holly
Juniperus virginiana — Eastern Red Cedar
Liquidambar styraciflua — Sweetgum
Liriodendron tulipifera — Tuliptree
Malus — Crabapple
Nyssa sylvatica — Tupelo, Black Gum
Ostyra virginiana — Ironwood
Pinus nigra — Austrian Pine
Platanus (all) — Planetree
Pyrus (all) — Pear
Quercus (all) — Oak
Taxodium — Baldcypress
Taxus b. 'Repandens' — English Yew
Tilia tomentosa — Silver Linden
Zelkova (all) — Japanese Zelkova
28 CityTREES
