Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon  Management: Standard  Regional Crop

Thrives in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam[1, 11]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils[1] and shady positions. Established plants tolerate drought[200]. Succeeds in poor dry sandy soils[185]. Tolerates maritime exposure[75], though trees are often laid over from the base by heavy winds when they are young. The stem merely bends back to the vertical and continues growing, the bend remaining in the trunk[185]. The best trees are found in the far south of Britain, where this species often self-sows. It is very fast growing, especially when young with new annual shoots of 1 metre common[185]. It is not very long-lived in cultivation[11, 185], though trees have lived longer than 150 years in Britain. Widely cultivated in Europe for the resin obtained from the trunk and for woodpulp, it is the most widely used European species[64, 200]. Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[200]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[200]. Leaf secretions inhibit the germination of seeds, thereby reducing the amount of plants that can grow beneath the trees[18]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200].

Carbon Farming

• Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon  Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, rubber, biomass products gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, butane, propane, biogas. Plants are usually resprouting plants and saps.
• Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
• Regional Crop  These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.