EFFECTS OF PLANTATION LOCATION AND POPULATION ON THE SEASONAL FREEZING TOLERANCE OF YELLOW-CEDAR (CHAMAECYPARIS-NOOTKATENSIS) STECKLINGS

Two years after planting, five populations of yellow-cedar (Chamaecypa ris nootkatensis (D.Don) Spach) stecklings (rooted cuttings) at two la titudes and two elevations were tested for freezing tolerance through the winter by the freeze-induced electrolyte leakage method. There wer e few significant differences in freezing damage among the five popula tions. Freezing tolerance closely followed trends in daily mean temper ature. At the southern latitude sites, high elevation stecklings were less damaged by freezing than low elevation stecklings in the autumn a nd late spring. No consistent elevational differences in freezing tole rance of stecklings were observed at the northern latitude sites.