MARIANO MARCOS STATE UNIVERSITY

Department of Forestry College of Agriculture,

Food and Sustainable Development
City of Batac 2906 Ilocos Norte

FOR 123

ARBORICULTURAL PRACTICES:
Basic Planting Design and
Species Selection

Prepared by:
(Group 2)
Gay Mharie Calma
Keith Hansel Campañano
Jan Lester Campañano
Rheanel Dalere
Ma. Geraldine Agbayani
Carmela Jane Nicolas
Mary Frances Janine Ibacarra
Ycul Agmata
Theodula Mae Balantac
Justine Mae Lacuesta
Rachelle Ann Paa
Trizia Ann Neflas
Christine Joy Amper

Submitted to:
For. Charlie Maine G. Cacactin

November 2022
Introduction
Arboriculture, from the Latin word “arbor”= tree, “cultura”= tending or
caring, is tree cultivation based on tree biology. The term arboriculture is often
loosely used and includes the care of other woody plants. This relatively young
discipline generally focuses on single trees or group of trees, usually in urban
areas. Arboriculture is an essential and integral part of urban forestry and is
sometimes treated as special type of horticulture (Dijesiefken et al, 2005).
Planting design, also called landscape design, is the art of composing
plants to create a design. This is usually an aspect of garden design, which
includes paving design, landform design, water features and the design of
vertical and horizontal structures (gardenvisit.com). Robinson (2004) showed
that plant size relative to the dimensions of the human figure is critical when
designing spaces for people. An important design stage is distinguishing areas
on a plan using canopy height because plant height establishes much of the
spatial framework and controls vision, movement, and physical experience.
Furthermore, in plant designing, selecting species is very important.
Species selection must ensure that trees are capable of thriving in the
environment in which they are placed (Hirons et al, 2019). It is important to
plant and maintain a diversity of tree species throughout the community. This
helps spread the risk of damage in storms. It may require more work and
creativity to find a variety of trees that can withstand urban conditions, but it is
well worth the effort. Species diversity allows a landscape to withstand
devastation by insect or disease outbreaks, and if executed appropriately can
provide a more aesthetic appeal. However, species selection alone will not
prevent danger in storms. Trees must be positioned and maintained
appropriately in order to create hurricane resistant urban forests.
 8 Basic Principles of Planting Design
1. Unity
Unity is a basic principle of
landscaping, and is the repetition and
consistency of a design. Repetition is
used to bring about unity in your
design by repeating like elements
which include plants and decor in the
landscape. Consistency is used to
create unity by fitting different
elements of a landscape together to create a common unit or theme.

2. Balance
Balance is simply a sense of equality. There are two types of balance in
design: symmetrical and asymmetrical balance. In symmetrical balance, two
sides of the landscape are identical while in asymmetrical balance, the
landscape composition is balanced using different elements and objects which
have almost similar imaginary weight.

3. Contrast and Harmony

Contrast helps highlight certain elements in your design, while harmony
helps elements in a landscape composition look unified. Contrasting elements
draw the viewer’s attention when they’re placed next to each other. Contrast
and harmony are achieved by the juxtaposition of any elements of art or using
complementary colors side by side.
4. Color
Color gives your landscape design the dimension of real life. Warm colors
(e.g. red and orange) seem to advance towards you, making an object seem
closer. While cool colors like blues and greens seem to move away from you.
Blues and greens are used to create perspective.
5. Transition
Transition is simply a gradual change. Transition in a landscape design is
illustrated by gradually varying the plant size or the color intensity. Transition
can also be applied to texture, foliage shape and size of different elements.
6. Line
Line is the mother of all
elements in landscape
design. Lines are used almost
everywhere including creating
beds, entryways, walkways,
texture and perspective. Lines
are also used to give an illusion
of depth and distance.

7. Proportion
Proportion refers to the size of an element in relation to the other. Among
the 8 principles of landscape design, this is the most obvious one but still needs
a little planning and thought. One must ensure that all the elements in a
landscape design have proper proportions.
8. Repetition
Repetition is directly related to unity. It’s good to have several elements
and forms in a garden, but repeating the same elements gives your design
various expressions. Too many objects that are not related can make your
design look unplanned and cluttered. Also, don’t overuse an element since over
using an element can make your design feel boring, uninteresting, and
monotonous.

Site Characteristics/Limitations
□ Soils: The soil will greatly impact the species you are able to grow
successfully. General soil characteristics are available from published soil
surveys available in most county Cooperative Extension and Natural
Resource Conservation Service offices.
□ Hardiness zone: Most references give a hardiness zone for each species of
plant, and use the current USDA hardiness zone map. The zones are
determined by the average annual minimum temperatures for each area.
□ Site aspect. The aspect (or direction the slope of the land faces) plays an
important role in site conditions. North or east aspects are cooler, moister,
and shadier than south or west aspects. Certain tree species tolerate more
shade than others, while others require full sun for growth.
□ Annual precipitation and occurrence: Annual precipitation and occurrence
can be supplemented by irrigation, but not replaced. If you have a wet site,
 plan on using wet site species. The same hold true for a dry site, where
species adapted to drought have a much greater chance for survival.
□ Frost pockets: Frost pockets are low lying areas where cold air pools during
the growing season, with night-time temperatures much lower than the
surrounding areas. Choose plant species that tolerate growing season frost.
□ Animal depredation: Deer, elk, moose, pocket gophers, mice, and
porcupines all love to eat trees. Certain types of trees and shrubs are less
palatable than others, but all will be eaten if there is a shortage of available
food. Determining which animal problems you may encounter (if any), will
help you choose the plants and methods of protection most suited to your
situation. Animal browse controls include barriers (fences, tree shelters),
repellents, toxicants, trapping/shooting, and cultural methods.
□ Insect and disease problems: Tree vigor and species diversity are effective
deterrents to most insect and disease problems. Chronic problems, such as
soil-borne root decays, usually require a change of species. A good
example would be an area of fir that has succumbed to root-rot. If you
plant more fir, they will also die, whereas another species, such as pine,
might not. Genetic resistance to insects and diseases is another way to limit
loss.
□ Poor soil: Poor soil conditions can result from past human activities or
natural events. Some poor soil conditions, such as mild soil compaction,
erosion problems, and nutrient deficiencies can be repaired. Others are
beyond human intervention and simply preclude tree growth.
□ Buildings, power lines, underground utilities: When choosing a tree or
shrub species for planting around structures, note the location of overhead
power and phone lines, foundations, and underground utilities, and match
the mature tree size to the growing space.
Suitable Species
1. Raintree (Samanea saman)
Commonly known as raintree or
wattles, it is a hardy large spreading
attaining a height of 20 m or more.
The main axis of the compound leaf has
4-8 pairs of branches, each branch with
3-8 pairs leaflets. Flowers are small with
extended stamens crowded together in
a cluster which appears like powdered puff.

2. Balitbitan (Cynometra ramiflora)

An erect, glabrous tree, branches
are numerous and freely rebranched.
Flowers are yellowish, white, nearly
regular, pods are hard, turgid, 2-4 cm
long.

3. Baston de san jose ( Cordyline terminalis)

Grows to about 1-3 m high as an
erect and smooth shrub. Leaves are
rounded at the base with a short point
at the tip and nearly found on the apex
of the simple stem, whose surface area
is marked with leaf scars. Flowers are
slender, tubular pink, about 1 cm long,
split into 6 equal lobes. Fruit globose about 5 cm in diameter.
4. Copper leaf (Acalypha wilkesiana)
A hardy shrub 96-460 cm high; the
attractive colored leaves are copper
green, variously mottled with red and
purple, 10-18 cm long, 6-12 cm wide.
Flowers are tiny and without petals.
The fruit (capsule) is small.

5. Guyabano (Annona muricata L.)

A small tree, 5-7 m high. Leaves
are oblong-obovate to oblong, 2-15 cm
long, pointed at both ends, smooth,
shiny, usually with petioles 5 cm long.
Flowers are solitary, large, yellowish or
greenish-yellow. Fruit is avoid, up to 18
cm long or more.

6. Kamagong ( Diospyros philippinensis)

A tree reaching a height of 20 m
and a diameter of 80 cm. Bark is
blackish, rather fissured and uneven.
Leaves are 10-25 cm long alternate,
feathery, oblong, pointed at the apex,
rounded or obtuse at the base. Fruit is
large, fleshy up to 10 cm in diameter,
densely covered with golden brown
hairs.

7. Maluko (Pisonia grandis)

An erect, unarmed tree or shrub,
reaching up to 10 m high. The leaves
are thin, ovateoblong, pale green, or
yellowish-white when young. Fruits are long pediceled, clubshaped,
five-angled.

8. Adelfa (Nerium indicum)

An erect, smooth shrub reaching
a height of 10-13 m, the leaves are
mostly in whorls of 3-4 cm; flowers
are fragrant, funnel-shaped. Fruits
are in pairs, cylindrical and narrowed
at both ends.

9. African Tulip (Spathodea campanulata)

A medium-sized evergreen tree.
Wood is soft and trunk is sturdy
forming buttresses. Leaves are shiny,
dark green, 30-46 cm long, dividend
into 4-8 pairs of leaflets with an extra
one at the tip.

10. Bandera española ( Canna indica L.)

A coarse, smooth herb which
grows up to 1-5 m high. The erect
unbranched stem arises from a fleshy
rootstock. Leaves are solitary, in two
opposite rows along the stem.
Flowers are attractive, showy,
irregular in form. The fruit bears
roundish black seeds.
11. Bougainvilla (Bougainvillaea
spectabilis)
A woody climber reaching a height
of 20 m or more with a large, strong
thorny stem and drooping branches.

12. Bunga (Areca cathecu L.)

A tree with an erect, solitary trunk
up to 25 m high and marked with
annular scars. Leaves are up to 4 m
long with numerous leaflets. Flowers
are yellow.

13. Caballero (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)

An erect, glabrous sparingly spiny
shrub or small tree, 1.5-8 m high.
Leaves are bipinnate, pinnae 4-8 pairs.
Flowers are red and yellow about 4 cm
in diameter.

14. Campanilla (Thevetia peruviana)

An erect, branched, smooth shrub,
2-5 m high. Leaves are linear, stalkless
and shiny. Fruits is drupe, smooth and
green, somewhat about 3-4 cm in
diameter.
15. Ipil-ipil (Luecaena leucocephala)
A slender tree that may grow up to
20 m high. It has feathery leaves,
bunched of long, brown pods and often
almost translucent and small, white
“powderpuff” flowers.

16. Lumbang (Aleurites mollucana)

A large tree reaching a diameter of
80-150 cm with an average height of
24 m in the dense stand and 21.4 m in
the open stand. The outer bark is
grayish white, while the inner bark is
reddish when cut. Leaves are simple
and alternate. Flowers are white with
soft hairs.

17. Mayana (Coleus scutellaroides or

Coleus blumei Benth)
A short-lived herbaceous, annual
which may attain a height up to 1 m;
has erect, fourangled, somewhat juicy
stems; leaves are in pairs, egg-shaped;
flowers are long-stalked and
boat-shaped.

18. Narra (Pterocarpus indicus)

A large tree which grows up to 40
m high. It has a dense, drooping
crown.
19. Palawan cherry ( Cassia nodosa L.)
An unarmed tree, attaining a height
of 10-15 m. The leaves are about 30 cm
long, each divided into 5-12 pairs of
elliptic leaflets 1-2 cm long. Most of the
leaves are shed before flowering starts.
It blooms from March to April.

20. Palomaria or Bitaog (Calophylum

inophyllum)
A medium-sized, or large tree,
reaching a height of 20 m. It has a
spreading crown with large branches.

21. Palosanto (Triplaris cumingiana)

A tree reaching a height of about
10 m and a diameter of about 30 cm
with distinct hallow inside the trunks to
branchlets .

22. Poinsettia (Euphorbea pulcherrina)

It is an erect, laxly branched shrub
with milky juice; grows to a height of
1-4 m.
23. India rubber tree (Ficus elastica)
A spreading glabrous tree reaching
a height of 10 m normally starting as
an epiphyte, sending down numerous
adventitious roots from the trunk and
larger branches.

24. Molave (Vitex parviflora)

A medium- to large-sized tree
attaining a diameter of 100-150 cm and
a height of 25-30 m. It has a short,
crooked or fluted trunk.

25. Mollucan sau (Albizia falcate or Paraserianthes falcataria)

It attains a total height of 24-30 m and a diameter of 6 cm. The crown is
narrow in closed plantations but spreads at the top in open plantations. It
grows so fast that it is sometimes called a “miracle tree”.
26. Pandan (Pandamus odoratissimus)
An erect plant reaching a height of 8 m; also called “screw pine” because of
its spiny leaves which grow from the stems in a cork-screw fashion. It has
prominent prop roots at the lower base of the stem. The trunk has a diameter
of 12-15 cm.
27. San Francisco (Codiaeum variegatum)
A long-lived, erect, branched, shrub attaining a height of 1-2 m. Leaves
vary in size, form and color. Cultural forms recently introduced to the
Philippines from Hawaii, are richer in color and have larger leaves.
28. Tsitsirika (Catharanthus roseus)
 An erect, smooth or slightly hairy, slightly branched perennial herb about
30-50 cm high. Stem is somewhat woody. The flowers are stalkless, regular,
bisexual, white, pink, red or purple; and borne in pairs at the apex.
29. Yellow bell (Allamanda cathartica)
A smooth or somewhat hairy shrub, 2-4 m high. The leaves are in whorls of
three or four, the uppermost ones may be scattered, lanceolate, 8-12 cm long,
2.5-4 cm wide. The flowers are yellow short-stalked in clusters and look like
bells.
30. Yemane (Gmelina arborea)
Grows to a height of 30 m, a diameter of 60-100 cm and lives up to 40
years. Its leaves are opposite, deciduous, entire, 10-20 cm long, 7-13 cm wide.
Flowers are numerous, trumpet-shaped, 4 cm long, nodding, hairy and short
stalked. Bark is thin and grey-colored.
31. Zigzag plant (Pedilanthus tithymaloides)
A shrub 1-1.5 m high with acrid milky juice. The stem is erect, zigzagged, or
straight, smooth and cylindrical. The green leaves are solitary at each stem
joint; flower clusters are grouped at the tip of the stem, fruit is about 1.2 cm
long.