Evergreens-Christmas Staple-Please choose Environmentally Sound Sources

Christmas Tree -Evergreen Flammability

This information is taken from Florida IFAS Data Bank.  Certain Species of trees-including Evergreens are coated and manufacture flammable compounds.  These compounds serve several functions. Depending on the Species of tree, and the Eco system it is a part of.  One of the benefits of theses Oils/Waxy compounds is a sort of moisturizer-antifreeze function to prevent the plant from completely freezing and shutting down during extreme cold. However, it has a similar function in the tropics-to protect against drying and heat. But what many people do not know is, some trees such as the Melaleuca, and Eucalyptus are what is called ’pyrogenic’. Which means they NEED the fire to propagate-basically to seed.  Fire actually starts the cycle for the seed to mature, drop and open. The attractant is not pollen, or honey-but the flammable oils!  A lot of different Oaks have ’Evergreen’ properties, such as Live Oak.  They do not drop all of their leaves!

The presence of oils, resins (e.g., tree sap), waxes, or other chemicals in leaves or branches. Certain chemicals can increase the flammability of a plant. When landscaping around homes in high wildfire hazard areas, homeowners should limit the use of plants with high amounts of resins or oils in their leaves. Leaves containing significant amounts of these chemicals will often emit an odor when crushed. Trees such as Cedar, and Pine are sold as pet shavings for domestic pets. Recent studies have found a very strong link to Cancer in hamsters pouches and skin, as well as in Guinea Pigs-that have used this type of bedding. This is due to the oils penetrating and constantly exposing the animal since they groom themselves with their mouth. Shredded paper, corncob litter and other non-carcinogenic choices are available.

Deciduous vs. evergreen. Shrubs and trees that lose their leaves in the fall are referred to as deciduous, and those that retain living leaves throughout the year are called evergreen. In the southern United States, some common deciduous species include hickories, red and white oaks, and maples. Many common evergreen species have needle-like leaves, such as cedars, pines, and hemlocks; however, some broad-leaved plants are also evergreen, such as live oaks, hollies, and magnolias. Deciduous plants are usually less flammable than evergreens for several reasons. Living deciduous leaves tend to have a higher moisture content than evergreen leaves. In addition, deciduous plants do not readily ignite during winter because they have no leaves to burn. However, as described in the section on leaves, the leaf size and shape is an important plant characteristic to consider, and leaves vary within each group (deciduous and evergreen). For example, magnolias and cedars are two evergreens that have very different leaves, and they vary in their flammability, with the cedar being more flammable due to its small, needle-like leaves.

Please be safe this holiday season. Remember to recycle all of that paper. Check with your city for Tree recycling schedules and locations.





Wandering About Nature Today