Woody species suitable for naturalistic plantings have greater resprouting vigour and shoot recovery after coppicing

Naturalistic plantings using diverse woody species offer a low-maintenance alternative for urban greening. Shoot recovery is an important trait for low maintenance woody naturalistic plantings managed by coppicing (hard pruning), as dense canopies suppress weeds and enhance visual appeal. However, species vary in their ability to recover lost biomass after coppicing. Species selection is also challenged by limited understanding of shoot recovery mechanisms. We used a common garden experiment with 67 Australian shrub and small tree species to evaluate how shoot recovery after coppicing relates to changes in resource allocation and traits. We compared growth, resource allocation and traits on both coppiced and non-coppiced plants six months after coppicing. Coppiced plants had more stems but were shorter than non-coppiced plants. Shoot biomass recovery increased with resprouting vigour. While only 17 species fully recovered shoot biomass following coppicing, 30 species recovered 50% of the biomass of non-coppiced plants. Coppiced plants primarily relied on stem starch pool for shoot recovery, with recovery facilitated by effective replenishment of stem reserves. Species with greater shoot recovery had co-ordinated increases in basal area, height, but decreases in root-to-shoot ratio after coppicing, relative to non-coppiced plants. Although several species increased leaf area ratio and specific leaf area after coppicing, the increase was not associated with shoot recovery. While shoot recovery varied greatly across species, selecting larger-sized young woody species and scheduling coppicing around periods with sufficient water availability may enhance recovery. These management decisions can support the long-term success of low-maintenance, naturalistic urban plantings managed by coppicing.