Section 4170. Landscape Plant Materials.
4170.01 DESCRIPTION.
Landscape plant materials shall include all trees, shrubs, and vines used in
roadside development.
4170.02 MATERIALS.
By submitting a proposal and accepting award of the contract, the Contractor
acknowledges that it has investigated the supply of planting stock available
and has obtained firm commitment from suppliers assuring delivery of the
specified plant stock as required for completion of the contract. A list of
suppliers and the materials to be furnished by each of them will be required
at the preconstruction conference.
All landscape plant material shall meet the minimum requirements of size and grade in the American Standard for Nursery Stock ANSI Z 60.1. Sizes and grades for bare root nursery grown trees and shrubs and balled and burlapped (B & B) trees and shrubs as set forth in ANSI Z 60.01 are listed below:
A. Bare Root Nursery Grown Trees.
Bare root nursery grown trees shall meet minimum requirements for diameter, height range, maximum height, and minimum root spread. Diameter of the trunk shall be taken 6 inches (150 mm) above ground level up to and including 4 inch (100 mm) diameter and 12 inches (300 mm) above ground level for larger sizes.
Diameter
in. (mm)Height Range
ft. (m)Maximum Height
ft. (m)Minimum Root Spread
in. (mm)1/2 (15) 5 - 6 (1.5 - 1.8) 8 (2.5) 12 (300) 3/4 (20) 6 - 8 (1.8 - 2.5) 10 (3.0) 16 (400) 1 (25) 8 - 10 (2.5 - 3.0) 11 (3.5) 18 (450) 1 1/4 (30) 8 - 10 (2.5 - 3.0) 12 (3.8) 20 (500) 1 1/2 (40) 10 - 12 (3.0 - 3.7) 14 (4.4) 22 (550) 1 3/4 (45) 10 - 12 (3.0 - 3.7) 14 (4.4) 24 (600) 2 (50) 12 - 14 (3.8 - 4.4) 16 (5.0) 28 (700) 2 1/2 (60) 12 - 14 (3.8 - 4.4) 16 (5.0) 32 (800) 3 (80) 14 - 16 (4.4 - 5.0) 18 (5.6) 38 (950) B. Bare Root Nursery Grown Shrubs.
Bare root nursery grown shrubs shall meet the following minimum requirements:
Size (height) of Plant
ft. (m)Min. Root Spread
in. (mm)1 1/2 (0.50)
2 (0.60)
3 (0.90)
4 (1.25)
5 (1.50)
6 (1.80)10 (250)
11 (275)
14 (350)
16 (400)
18 (450)
20 (500)C. Balled and Burlapped Trees and Shrubs.
B&B trees and shrubs shall meet the minimum requirements shown in Table 4170.02C for number of transplantings and sizes of balls:
TABLE NO. 4170.02C
Size(m) Transplantings Ball Diameter Prostrate and Spreading Types (Pfitzer, Savin, etc.) (Height)
1 1/2' (0.50 m)
2' (0.60 m)
2 1/2' (0.80 m)
3 1/2' (1.00 m)
2
3
4
4
10" (250 mm)
12" (300 mm)
14" (350 mm)
18" (400 mm)Upright, Medium Height Types (Chinese, Column, Canaert, etc.) (Height)
1 1/2' (0.50 m)
2' (0.60 m)
3' (0.90 m)
4' (1.25 m)
5' (1.50 m)
2
3
3
4
4
10" (250 mm)
12" (300 mm)
13" (350 mm)
14" (350 mm)
16" (400 mm)Large Tree Types (Pine, Spruce, etc.) (Height)
3' (0.90 m)
5' (1.50 m)
6' (1.80 m)
3
4
4
14" (350 mm)
20" (350 mm)
22" (400 mm)Shrubs and Small Trees (Hawthorn, Redbud, Amur Maple, etc.) (Height)
2' (0.60 m)
3' (1.50 m)
4' (1.25 m)
5' (1.50 m)
3
3
3
4
10" (250 mm)
12" (300 mm)
14" (350 mm)
16" (400 mm)Large Shade Trees (Maple, Oak, Hackberry, etc.) (Dia. of Trunk)
1" (25 mm)
1 1/4" (30 mm)
1 1/2" (40 mm)
1 3/4" (45 mm)
2" (50 mm)
16" (400 mm)
18" (450 mm)
20" (500 mm)
22" (550 mm)
24" (600 mm)D. Container Grown Plant Material.
Container grown plant material may be substituted for the same size, transplantings, and variety of B & B plant material as specified without any additional compensation. A certification shall be furnished the Engineer stating that container grown material has been grown in the container for not less than 1 year.The container shall be of a size as to permit development of a fibrous root system without the plant becoming root bound. No circling of the root system will be accepted.
Removal of the plant from the container will be required regardless of the container composition.
E. Quality of Plant Material.
All plants shall be nursery grown stock unless otherwise specified and shall have been transplanted or root pruned two or more times according to the kind and size of plants.All plants shall be typical of their species or variety.
Plants shall be free from objectionable deformities, injurious insects or other plant pests, plant diseases, moldy or dried roots, or serious damage to the trunk, bark, roots, branches, or leaders which, in the judgment of the Engineer, will not allow the plant to develop properly to its natural shape. All plant material which fails to comply with these specifications in any way will be rejected and shall be removed immediately from the project by the Contractor. When possible, plant material should be furnished from stock grown in the same plant hardiness zone as Iowa or in a zone north of Iowa. Evergreen plant material that has approximately 1 inch (25 mm) or greater candle growth will not be accepted. Bare root material shall be in a dormant condition at the time of planting. Container grown or balled & burlapped material may be in leaf, but care should be given to protect material from late frost.
F. Substitution.
Where evidence is submitted that a specified plant can not be obtained, substitution may be made upon approval of the Engineer.
4170.03 TAGGING OF MATERIALS.
All stock furnished must be true to name and legibly tagged as to name, size, and number
of transplants, in accordance with the nursery standards of practice as recommended by
the American Association of Nurserymen. Nomenclature shall be in accordance with the
latest edition of Standard Plant Names published by the American Joint Committee on
Horticultural Nomenclature prior to the date of the award of contract.
4170.04 INSPECTION OF PLANT MATERIAL.
Inspection of plant material may be made at the nursery or collecting field by an
authorized representative of the Contracting Authority. Final acceptance will not
be made until the material has been delivered and installed.
4170.05 SAMPLES.
The Engineer may require samples to be submitted before stock is shipped from the
nursery to the planting site.
4170.06 GOVERNMENT INSPECTION.
All plant material shall comply with Federal and State laws with respect to inspection
for plant disease and infestation. All inspection certificates required by law to this
effect shall accompany each shipment, invoice, or order of stock. On arrival, the
certificate shall be filed with the Engineer.
All contractors shall comply with rules and regulations of the State Entomologist of Iowa, relative to nursery inspection of nursery stock in accordance with current provisions of the Iowa Administrative Code.
4170.07 PREPARATION OF PLANTS FOR SHIPMENT.
All plants, except container grown material, shall come from the nursery row, and shall
be dug with reasonable care and skill. Precautions shall be taken to avoid any unnecessary
damage or removal of fibrous roots. All precautions customary in good trade practice shall
be taken to assure arrival of the plants at destination in good condition for successful
growth. B & B plants shall be lifted from the nursery row with a firm ball so as to
retain as many fibrous roots as possible.
4170.08 SHIPMENT OF PLANTS.
All material shall be packed in such manner as to ensure adequate protection against
climatic, seasonal, or other damages during transportation. Bare root trees and shrubs
shall be placed in bundles and roots shall be carefully protected with wet straw, moss,
or other suitable material which will assure arrival of plants at destination with roots
in a moist, healthy condition. All evergreens and bare root material shall be protected
during transportation by moist straw, moss, or other suitable material. All plant material
shall be further protected with a tarpaulin when being transported in an open vehicle.
4170.09 INCIDENTAL MATERIALS FOR PLANT INSTALLATION.
Materials of the following types to be furnished for the proper installation of plant
materials shall meet these requirements:
A. Topsoil.
Topsoil shall be high quality soil consisting of the top 6 inches (150 mm) of field or pasture loam containing a good supply of humus and a high degree of fertility. Surface soils from ditch bottoms, drained ponds, and eroded areas, or soils which are supporting growth of noxious weeds or other undesirable vegetation will not be accepted. Topsoil shall have a pH value from 6.0 to 7.5. It shall be free from hard clods, rocks, and other debris larger than 2 inches (50 mm) in diameter.B. Fertilizer.
Initial application shall be 0-46-0 triple super phosphate. The second application shall be 20-10-10 chemically combined commercial fertilizer.C. Staking and Guying and Anchoring.
Stakes for plant material shall be either yard lumber of 2 inches by 2 inches (50 mm to 50 mm) nominal dimension, permitting small knots that do not impair serviceability, or steel posts meeting requirements of Article 4154.09. The stakes shall be of the length specified in Article 2610.03, F.Guys used shall be a good commercial quality No. 11 (3.06 mm diameter) wire or approved equal.
Pieces of new fabric reinforced garden hose or an approved equal shall be used to protect the plants from damage by guys. Anchors used shall be constructed of steel of the sizes specified in Article 2610.03, F, as approved by the Engineer.
D. Mulch.
Mulch shall be as specified in the contract documents.E. Tree Wrap.
Wrapping shall be a crinkle type, kraft, tree wrap paper 4 inches (100 mm) wide, or a tree wrap approved by the Engineer.