Kouta, Nurse logs are common in older forests on moist sites in the Southern Appalachians. Hemlock is probably one of the most common species forming nurse logs since they reach large sizes, decay slowly, grow in moist sites, and are common; however, I usually think of nurse logs in terms of the species most likely to grow on them. Black birch (Betula lenta), yellow birch (B. alleghaniensis), and rhododendron are the most abundant species on logs, but hemlock and red spruce are also common and other species will at least occasionally sprout on logs. The most species I've seen on a single log is nine.
In the swamps closer to the coast, wet sites in a somewhat drier climate, red maples (Acer rubrum) often matures on old baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) stumps. I'll try to dig up a few photos. Jess --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org You are subscribed to the Google Groups "ENTSTrees" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
