Tree Species Shade Tolerance Chart
Source: PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), Appendix 3, p. 57
Shade tolerance is how well a species can establish and grow beneath other trees, with limited direct sunlight.
| Tolerant | Intermediate | Intolerant |
|---|---|---|
| Red spruce (rs) | White spruce (ws) | Eastern larch (la) |
| Balsam fir (bf) | White pine (wp) | Red pine (rp) |
| Eastern hemlock (eh) | Red oak (ro) | Poplar / trembling aspen (po) |
| Beech (be) | Red maple (rm) | White ash (wa) |
| Eastern white cedar (ewc) | Yellow birch (yb) | White birch (wb) |
| Black spruce (bs) | ||
| Sugar maple (sm) |
The two-letter codes are the species abbreviations used in PEI stand descriptions.
Where the chart is used
- Enrichment planting: planted species must suit the site’s shade conditions.
- Commercial hardwood thinning: the 30% basal-area removal cap is reduced for shade-tolerant species.
- Strip and patch harvests: strip orientation and patch shape control light, steering regeneration toward species of a given tolerance.
- Select tree harvest: used over time to shift a stand from intolerant to tolerant species.
A note on numbering. In the 2025 manual this chart is Appendix 3. Some treatment sections still refer to it as Appendix 2.
Based on the PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), Appendix 3, p. 57. Where this guide and the manual differ, the manual governs.