An approximate version of the tree packing conjecture

Abstract

We prove that for any pair of constants ɛ > 0 and Δ and for n sufficiently large, every family of trees of orders at most n, maximum degrees at most Δ, and with at most (n2) edges in total packs into (Formula presented.). This implies asymptotic versions of the Tree Packing Conjecture of Gyárfás from 1976 and a tree packing conjecture of Ringel from 1963 for trees with bounded maximum degree. A novel random tree embedding process combined with the nibble method forms the core of the proof.