7 trees very resistant to heat, drought and gales

The last two extremely hot summers have caused much damage to the forests of Europe. According to a German report, only 21% of the trees kept their tops intact last year. The rest had suffered severe damage or the trees had died completely.

For this reason, we must think about the future of trees, or rather about the trees of the future. If you want to plant a tree, something we all must do at least once in our lives, you must choose a species that can cope with the climate crisis in the best possible way.

7 trees resistant to heat, drought and storms

Trees that resist climate change have not yet been found, but the next seven trees are pretty hardy.

The general rule is that the trees of the future must be able to put down deep roots to access underground water resources. The first three trees on the list are therefore quite large and less suitable for the city or the garden.

The lesser maple (Acer campestre) of the variety “Elsrijk” tends to show good development despite heat and drought.turkey oak (Quercus cerris) also behaves very well. It is characterized by strong growth. It can reach 11 meters in height and the crown is wide.american linden (american tilia) is an imposing tree that exceeds 20 meters in height and has a pyramidal crown. It supports drought and urban climates very well.flower ash (Fraxinus ornus) is a medium-sized, easy-to-prune type of tree. However, it is so robust that it can be considered as a tree prepared for the future. In addition, it is also suitable for gardens.urban elms (Ulmus ‘urban’) are trees that have proven to be very resistant to storms and are especially suitable for colder climates, such as the north of the peninsula.silver birch (Betula pendula) has shown to be very tolerant of heat and drought stress.common ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) is as heat resistant as silver birch, but somewhat less drought tolerant.

Urban trees and climate change

The trees of the cities they will have a very hard time with climate change and they are already suffering a lot of attacks right now:

pollutants in the air.Contaminated floors and compacted, which retain little water.lack of nutrients on the floor.high urine load (dog’s).Injuries to roots, bark and branches for construction work and accidents.lack of sunlight because of the tall buildings.

In addition to these stress factors, they will have to face the consequences of climate change with a increased heat and longer periods of drought.

In cities, there is an “urban climate” where the average temperature is 2-3 degrees higher than in the surrounding open country. Therefore, the need for action is especially high in urban areas.

Why are trees so important in cities?

In the citytrees are essential because:

They create a refreshing microclimate. They act as a filter for fine dust, which is very harmful to health. They provide shade. They provide a habitat for many animal species. They increase biodiversity.

Furthermore, green oases in urban areas they have a suction effect during heavy rains and store enormous amounts of water. This reduces the risk of flooding.

New diseases and pests

When the trees are already very stressed and weakeneddiseases and pests have more opportunities.

Pathogens (disease-causing organisms) are closely related to heat and drought. This means that if there are trees that can cope with climate change, they are also more resistant to pests and pathogens and fewer pesticides will be used.

Prolonged droughts, together with extreme heat, favor, for example, maple sooty bark disease. The triggering pathogen here is a fungus, which also has the potential to harm people’s health.

There are many other pests and diseases that emerge with special force in relation to climate change and globalization, such as the oak processionary moth or the Pseudomonas syringae, that affects many chestnut trees.