Cold hardiness in coastal, montane, and inland populations of Populus trichocarpa

Freezing tolerance was studied in laboratory and field tests using black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa Torr. & Gray, clones collected from eight populations within the coastal, montane, and inland regions of the Pacific Northwest. Freezing tolerance varied among different populations and was dependent on growing environment. Clones from coastal populations grown in a coastal common garden (Puyallup, Wash.) had 50% less injury in laboratory tests compared with the same clones grown in an inland common garden (Pullman, Wash.). In contrast, clones from inland populations grown in an inland common garden had 50% less injury in laboratory tests compared with the same clones grown in a coastal common garden. Freezing tolerance also varied between coastal populations. In field tests at the inland common garden, clones from inland and montane populations had less freezing injury compared with clones from coastal populations. Leaves on 50% of the clones with coastal origins were killed by the first fall frosts compared with 25% for clones with inland origins. Subsequently, 50% of the coastal clones exhibited winter injury following the winters of 1993-1994 and 19941995 at the inland common garden. Clones from inland populations exhibited little or no winter injury. The specific tissues injured during freezing tests varied among clones. Populus trichocarpa is a species offering considerable variation for selection to local environments, and therefore, the source of material should be an important consideration in hybrid poplar breeding programs.