Phenological Flowering Patterns of Woody Plants in the Function of Landscape Design: Case Study Belgrade

Abstract

The study focuses on describing key events in the flowering phenophases of woody taxa that promote practical landscape sustainability and design planning. Apart from the beginning of flowering, the full development and the duration of phenophases are important for landscape architecture, consumers, and pollination. The phenological patterns of 13 woody taxa were monitored for 16 years through 90,860 phenological observations from the BBCH scale for the period 2007–2022. Growing degree days were determined by combining phenological and climatic data and a linear trend was used to assess phenophase tendencies. Mann–Kendall and Sen’s slope tests and Spearman’s correlation coefficient were used to assess statistical significance. Shifts in flowering indicated warming trends, reflecting various changes in phenology. Early flowering taxa were affected the most, but plants shifted phenophases in both directions (earlier and later in the year). Repeated flowering (and occasionally fruiting) and even third flowering, as seen in 2022, can significantly affect biodiversity and lead to plant–pollinator asynchrony and changes in ecosystem functioning, ecological interaction, and landscape design. A list of native and introduced taxa and their adaptation mechanisms to climate change are provided and can be used for sustainable landscape design and nature-based solutions in landscape architecture.