FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Physocarpus malvaceus | Ninebark 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Ninebark is classified as fire resistant [14].  It is, however,
susceptible to death from severe fire temperatures.  Roots may be damaged by
moderate to severe fires.  Often there is a decrease in aboveground
parts following fire, subsequently delaying regeneration [9,14].

Preburn and postburn measurements of ninebark in central Idaho are as
follows [25]:

        Avg. Live       Avg. Live     Avg. Crown   Avg. Dead   No.  Avg. Sprout
      Crown Diameter   Crown Height   Below 7ft.     Crown    Basal    Height
          (ft)             (ft)          (%)          (%)    Sprouts    (ft)
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Preburn    2.5             4.5          100.0         20.0     4.0      2.0
Postburn   1.5             3.0          100.0        100.0    21.0      2.0
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*  preburn measurements taken March/1965;  postburn measurements taken 
   August/1965.
** postburn measurements were taken on the part of the plant which
   existed before treatment.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Ninebark has been found to be more abundant on burned sites than on
unburned sites.  Twig densities on ninebark shrubs increased through the
third postfire growing season in northern Idaho.  Shrub heights on
burned and unburned sites were equal by the fourth growing season, while
aboveground biomass of burned shrubs was only 64 percent of that of
unburned shrubs [5,32].  Owens [39] found that the annual twig
production for ninebark increased proportional to the removal of shrub
canopy by fire in northern Idaho.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Species: Physocarpus malvaceus | Ninebark