Radial Increment Response of Appalachian Hardwood Species to a Spring Freeze

A spring freeze occurred after budbreak and the new foliage of several hardwood species, including American beech, yellow-poplar, cucumbertree, white ash, and northern red oak, was killed or severely injured. Radial increment was affected in some of these species but not in others. The narrowest annual ring, only 20 percent of normal, was formed in American beech, followed by yellow-poplar, cucumbertree, and white ash. The annual ring of northern red oak was not reduced in size by freeze damage.