The Arbor Day Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to tree planting and conservation, offers new members a selection of ten free trees. This offer promotes their mission of inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees by encouraging direct participation. This initiative ensures that new tree saplings are distributed across the country for environmental benefit and to beautify communities. The complimentary trees are tied to a membership contribution, which supports the foundation’s broader efforts in forestry and education.
Understanding the Arbor Day Foundation Offer
Receiving the ten saplings begins with joining the Arbor Day Foundation, which requires a minimal membership contribution, often around $10 for a six-month period. This contribution secures the member’s status and unlocks the tree offer. The foundation uses this method to ensure the trees are distributed to individuals committed to planting and caring for them.
New members are presented with tree packages curated based on their geographical location to ensure species suitability. The foundation selects the appropriate shipping time based on the recipient’s planting zone, as bare-root trees must be planted before the onset of extreme heat or deep frost. The trees arrive as small, dormant, bare-root seedlings, typically measuring between 6 to 12 inches in height, packaged with a moisture-retaining gel to keep the root systems hydrated during transit.
Typical Tree Species in the Free Selection
The specific list of ten trees changes depending on the member’s planting zone, the time of year, and current nursery availability. This variability ensures that the distributed species are well-suited to thrive in the local climate and soil conditions. The foundation aims to provide species with ecological value, such as those offering shade, seasonal color, or food and shelter for local wildlife.
Commonly offered deciduous species include various maples (Red Maple, Sugar Maple, or Silver Maple) prized for their autumn color and shade potential. Flowering trees like the Eastern Redbud and White Flowering Dogwood are selected for their spring blossoms and ornamental appeal. The selection often features long-lived oak varieties, such as Northern Red Oak or Pin Oak, which offer significant canopy cover.
Coniferous trees, like the White Pine or Colorado Blue Spruce, may also be included, particularly in packages tailored to colder climates where evergreen foliage is desired. The composition of the ten trees is chosen to provide a mix of benefits, promoting biodiversity within the landscape. A bundle may contain a combination of fast-growing shade trees and smaller, ornamental flowering trees, all selected to be resilient in the recipient’s USDA hardiness zone.
Initial Care for New Saplings
Upon receiving the package, immediately open it and inspect the bare-root saplings. Since they are in a dormant state, the seedlings must be kept cool and their roots moist until planting, which should occur as quickly as possible. If immediate planting is not possible, the roots should be soaked in water for approximately three to six hours to rehydrate them.
For temporary storage lasting more than a day or two, the practice of “heeling in” is recommended. This involves burying the roots in a trench of moist soil or sand in a shaded location. Preventing the bare-root stock from drying out is essential, as this is a common cause of planting failure. When preparing to plant, a scratch test on the stem—looking for green tissue beneath the bark—can confirm the tree is alive and ready for its new location.