Stem Length & Diameter Taper Limits - University of Georgia

Table 1: Relationship between stem elongation growth rate and diameter growth rate to maintain thesame proportional taper. The values given in this table represents the multiplier of stem elongationgrowth and the multiplier of stem diameter growth.Stem Elongation GrowthValue (X Growth)Diameter GrowthValue (X Growth)Stem Elongation GrowthValue (X Growth)Diameter GrowthValue (X Growth)1.01X 1.02X1.02 1.031.03 1.051.04 1.061.05 1.081.06 1.091.07 1.111.08 1.121.09 1.141.10 1.151.11 1.171.12 1.191.13 1.201.14 1.221.15 1.231.16 1.251.17 1.271.18 1.281.19 1.301.2 1.311.25 1.401.3 1.481.35 1.571.4 1.661.45 1.751.5 1.841.55 1.931.6 2.021.65 2.121.7 2.221.75 2.321.8 2.411.85 2.521.9 2.621.95 2.722.0 2.832.1 3.042.2 3.262.3 3.492.4 3.722.5 3.952.6 4.192.7 4.442.8 4.692.9 4.943.0 5.23.1 5.53.2 5.73.3 6.03.4 6.33.5 6.63.6 6.83.7 7.13.8 7.43.9 7.74.0 8.04.25 8.84.5 9.64.75 10.45.0 11.25.25 12.05.5 12.95.75 13.86.0 14.76.25 15.66.5 16.66.75 17.57.0 18.57.25 19.57.5 20.58.0 22.68.5 24.89.0 27.09.5 29.310.0 31.6Diameter Multiplier (in decimal percent) = ((New Stem Height) 1.5 / (Old Stem Height) 1.5 )2

(not to scale)1.5X50 feet to 75 feetheight growthHeightnew tree1.84Xold treeDiameter20 inch to36.8 inchdiametergrowtholdtree is50 feettall &20 inchesdiameterlongitudinal cross-section of treeground lineFigure 1: Example of an estimated minimum height growth / diametergrowth proportion which must be maintained in order for a treeto conserve similar mechanical resistance to failure. (3/2 power taper rule).Dr. Kim D. Coder, 20003