Research dating back more than 70 years has been compiled into one single document, which the commission has said will allow those responsible for planting and cultivating the trees to choose the right seeds for their location in Britain.
According to the commission, Sitka spruce seeds from different origins cope differently with specific environments due to the fact that the natural habitat for the species extends along the Pacific north-west coastline, which includes warm Californian and cool Alaskan temperatures.
“Sitka spruce has proved to be such a versatile and valuable species in Britain,” said Sam Samuel, author of the report and researcher with the Forestry Commission.
“We hope this bulletin will help British forest managers to achieve the best results from future Sitka spruce plantations, by matching the right seed origins to the right sites in Britain to achieve the best possible combinations of survival, growth rates and timber quality to meet their objectives.”
