Frequently Asked Questions
Toll Free: 1-888-448-7337 • Contact Us
- When will my trees be shipped?
To be sure that your trees arrive in a strong and healthy condition, we ship bare root stock only when it is dormant in the fall and spring seasons. Trees are sent according to your local climate and this year's weather.
Fall Shipping: We have to wait for a couple of hard frosts so the trees go dormant and can be shipped safely. Trees can be planted until the ground is frozen solid. Fall shipments are made between October 15 and December 10.
Spring Shipping: Our trees can be planted during a broad range of weeks or months -- from when the frost first leaves the ground through late spring. Spring shipments are made between February 1 and May 31.
Please see our shipping schedule.
- I received part of my order. Where is the rest?
If you order a membership or merchandise along with trees, we may split your order. We'll ship your membership materials and merchandise immediately, and we'll ship your trees when the time is right for planting in your area.
Paid nursery orders and free membership trees come from separate facilities and arrive at separate times. Free trees are shipped by bulk mail and usually arrive a week or two after paid orders.
Our Arbor Day Gourmet Coffee takes a few extra days, so if you order merchandise, (a gift package, for example) along with coffee, your merchandise may arrive first.
For specific questions, please email us or call our toll free number: 1-888-448-7337. (Monday-Friday, 8-5 Central Time)
- Why can't you ship the trees I want to my state?
Some state Departments of Agriculture place restrictions on what trees can be imported, or they require lengthy inspection times (increasing the shipping time and making it less likely that our trees survive the transition.)
These restrictions are placed to protect the various crops and trees within that state from disease or pests that have been imported with trees and plants.
Some states, such as California, place very strict restrictions on any imported trees. Some restrict only certain varieties.
Some of our membership packages have been approved by the Department of Agriculture in California for importation. To find out what packages are available for your area, simply enter your zip code on our membership join page.
For more information on the regulations and restrictions please contact the Department of Agriculture in your state.
- I received my trees today and it is snowing. What do I do now?
Fall shipments are made after a hard frost has allowed the trees to go dormant. In the fall, trees can be planted until the ground is frozen solid. As long as a spade can be inserted into the ground, it is okay to plant the trees. If it has already snowed, test the soil. If it's too dry or too wet, don't plant. The soil should have enough moisture to crumble in your hand.
When you plant in the fall, be sure to mulch with wood chips, straw or other material to reduce alternate freezing and thawing that can result in “frost heaving”. Because the stock we ship is dormant, the colder air temperatures will not harm the trees.
- How do I know which of my member trees is which?
Our member trees are swatched with specific colors and shipped with a color key so that you can identify them. Your Identification Key is also available for download.
- How can my town become a Tree City USA?
To qualify for Tree City USA, a town or city must meet four standards established by the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters. These standards were established to ensure that every qualifying community would have a viable tree management plan and program. It is important to note that they were also designed so that no community would be excluded because of size.
Please visit our Tree City USA pages for information on these standards and to download an application.
- I live in another country, I'd like to join and get trees.
We do not currently offer an international membership package as our trees would not survive an extended time in shipment, even during mild weather. However, we do greatly appreciate the support of our international contributors and are able to accept monetary donations from outside of the U.S. via our Website. Should you wish to make an online contribution, please visit our donation page.
- Which trees are toxic to horses?
There are at least 200 plants/trees or shrubs that are toxic to horses at some level if they are ingested. Depending on the plant species, only a small amount need be ingested to prove fatal. With other plants or grasses, a larger quantity would need to be eaten over a longer period of time before toxic levels would be reached.
Some tree species that are proven to be toxic to horses are Oleander, Red Maple, Cherry trees and relatives (prunus species), Black Walnut, Black Locust, Horse Chestnuts and Buckeyes, Oak trees and acorns and Russian olives. For additional information on trees and shrubs that are toxic to horses, please contact your local County Extension Agent or veterinarian.
For more information on toxic plants please check http://www.vth.colostate.edu/poisonous_plants/index.cfm.
- Are there trees that are deer/fire proof?
Although all plants are flammable under the right conditions, steps can be taken that may decrease their flammability and reduce their accessibility to fire. For information regarding fire-resistant landscaping, please contact your local County Extension Agent. There is a great deal of good information about this topic on the internet.
Some common drought resistant species include acacia, Aleppo pine, Arizona cypress, ginkgo, green ash, hackberry, Kentucky coffee tree, California and Mexican palms, southern live oak, and thornless honeylocust.
Deer are persistent when they have found a food source that is appealing to them. Many commercial repellents and structural obstacles (i.e. 8’ high fences) can be bought to help protect your landscaping from deer, but things such as repellents only work to a point, as long as you can re-apply them periodically.
Like many animals, deer can sense when a plant is poisonous and will generally avoid eating such a plant. They also will go out of their way to avoid spicy foods and plants that give off foul odors. Trees and shrubs that deer rarely eat include:
· Red Maple
· White Birch
· Washington Hawthorn
· White Oak
· Pin Oak
· Cotoneaster
· Dwarf Burningbush
· Bayberry
· Spirea
· Eastern Redcedar
· Norway Spruce
· White Spruce
· Serbian Spruce
· Colorado Spruce
· Mugo Pine
Please contact your local County Extension Agent or nursery and garden center for more information on deer resistant trees and shrubs.
- Are the trees offered by the Foundation invasive?
The Foundation follows the guidelines of the National Invasive Species Information Center. Plants found to be invasive or problematic by this agency are removed from the lists of trees and shrubs offered by the Foundation. In addition, we take into consideration recommendations found in the publication entitled, Invasive Plants, Changing the Landscape of America, by the Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds.
- How do I grow a tree from a cutting?
Propagation from cuttings maintains the original characteristics of the parent plant. Softwood stem cuttings may be taken from succulent spring growth of woody plants such as azaleas and magnolias, hardwood cuttings are used on willows, and evergreen cuttings are used for broad-leaved and needled evergreens. Each type of cutting requires a different method of handling. More information is available through books such as the Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening published by Rodale Press, or through your cooperative extension office.
For our list of tree resources please go to our help pages.
- How do I grow a tree from seed?
Growing trees from seed is multiple step process including collection of seeds, removal of outer protective coverings, storage over the winter, planting and maintaining in a seedbed for one to three years. More information is available by contacting the Foundation, your cooperative extension office, urban or state forester, or through a local university program on dendrology.
Click here for our list of tree resources.
- Is your Arbor Day Gourmet Coffee part of the Fair Trade program?
Our coffee suppliers meet or exceed the established "Fair Trade Minimum" price for coffee used in our program. Our coffee is Fair Trade Certified.
The Foundation and its suppliers are committed to paying a fair price and to putting control in the hands of coffee growers.
For more information on the Fair Trade Organization go to: http://www.transfairusa.org.
To order our Arbor Day Gourmet Coffee and help support the Rainforests, please visit our coffee program at arborday.org.
- Should I top my trees?
The Arbor Day Foundation does not condone the practice of tree topping. Topping creates many problems for trees including insect infestations and diseases, weak limbs, shock and starvation to the tree and poor aesthetic qualities. For more information on tree topping, please contact Member Services for Tree City USA Bulletin #8 “Don't Top Trees”. This bulletin is available for $3.
For more information on the care of trees please click here.
- How do I know how much my trees are worth?
The best way is to have the tree appraised by a qualified arborist. This professional will use a formula developed by the Council of Tree & Landscape Appraisers, and endorsed by the International Society of Arboriculture. For more information on placing a value on your trees, please contact Member Services for Tree City USA Bulletin #28 “Placing a Value on Trees”. This bulletin is available for $3.
- Should I place my new seedlings in pots?
We would prefer that the trees we ship at planting time be planted in the ground according to the instructions that accompany them. Theoretically, trees can be grown in pots, but this is a technique that requires quite a bit of time and effort and we've found that the failure rates for our trees planted in pots is very high.
Tree roots prefer constant moisture levels and steady temperatures in order to grow. Pots can easily freeze solid or become extremely hot (115F) and dry in direct sunlight. Since trees need to stay dormant during the winter the option of putting them in a window will not work since they need to be kept cold.
- Where are the trees planted for Trees in Celebration and Trees in Memory?
Species native to our national forests, including pines, firs, spruce, and cedars, are planted in those areas destroyed by fire, disease or insects. These trees help restore vital habitat for the many noble creatures that make these forests their home, including lynx, grizzly bears, wolves, bald eagles, trumpeter swans, and hundreds of other species. In 2009, Trees in Celebration and Trees in Memory are being planted in California's Plumas National Forest.
For more information or to order Trees in Celebration or Trees in Memory please visit our Trees In Memory section.
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