Abstract:

Water consumption by transpiration of seven species of common garden plants was observed for one growth season in Beijing by using thermal dissipation sap flow probe TDP with pot seedlings. The results indicated that the yearly water consumption of the single arbor (about diameter at breast height 15 cm) was 851.9 kg of Pinus tabulaeform, 982.7 kg of Platycladus orientalis and 1 518.3 kg of Acer truncatum. The water consumption of Acer truncatumwas remarkably more than that of Pinus tabulaeform and Platycladus orientalis. The shrub water consumption per unit leaf surface was respectively 128.42 kg·m^-2 for Euonymus japonicus, 117.28 kg·m^-2 for Ligustrum vicaryi, and 82.38 kg·m^-2for Sabina procumbens. The water consumption of Sabina procumbenswas significantly less than that of Ligustrum vicaryi and Euonymus japonicus. Regarding the green unit area's water consumption of seven species configuration, Pinus tabulaeformiswas the least, 295 kg·m^-2, and Ligustrum×vicaryi was the most, 1 083.2 kg·m^-2 . The water consumption of pure lawn Poa pratensiswas more than that of understory lawn, and the front was 643.3 kg·m^-2，while the latter was 4503 kg·m^-2. The water consumption of pure lawn was more than that of arbor lawn green, and was little different from shrub lawn. This study has provided a scientific basis for Beijing landscape watersaving plant material selection and allocation of green space.

Key words: garden plants, stem sap flow, pot seedling, water consumption, allocation of green space