There is a growing economic and ecological incentive in developing best-management practices for broadleaf-conifer mixedwood stands in boreal and sub-boreal regions of Western Canada. Current free-growing guidelines employed in these areas appear to be poor predictors of interactions between primary growth determinants and environmental conditions in these complex stands. Density dependent relations between broadleaf and conifer components in mixedwood stands may vary across a range of conditions due to interactions discussed in this paper between primary growth determinants (i.e., light limitations, edaphic limitations and species specific traits) and local environment. Clarifying these interactions will promote the development of adaptable tools that can be used to develop context-specific mixedwood management strategies. Key words: mixedwood management, free-growing guidelines, boreal, sub-boreal, density-dependent competition