The Cities Blog

Get your trees here

The city of Minneapolis is offering 1,500 eight foot tall, one-inch trunk trees this spring for $25. Any Minneapolis property owner - resident, business or nonprofit - is eligible for one. Trees are available starting March 12. The trees are first-come, first-served. Limit one tree per property, maximum five properties per owner. Trees must be picked up May 12-14 at the Minneapolis impound lot. Volunteers will be on hand to help load each new tree and complimentary bag of mulch into vehicles.

The city is also making an additional 400 trees available to residents in the tornado-affected area of north Minneapolis at no charge.

From the city:

Varieties of trees available for $25 are Bali cherry, bur oak, Black Hills spruce, Fall Fiesta maple, Honeycrisp apple, ironwood, Prairifire crabapple, Princeton elm, red bud (tree form) and Whitespire birch (clump form). Varieties available for the free trees program are Honeycrisp apple, swamp white oak, Firebird crabapple and Japanese tree lilac.

Ordering begins March 12 for both tree offerings at www.treetrust.org or 952-767-3886. Paper order forms will also be available at UROC, the University of Minnesota's Urban Research and Outreach Engagement Center at 2001 Plymouth Ave. N., and at North Side Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board recreation centers. Additional forms are available by calling 952-767-3886.

Need help planting and learning how to take care of your new tree?

Tree Trust will host two free workshops for participants on proper tree planting and care 10 to 11 a.m., April 28, Powderhorn Park and 7 to 8 p.m., May 1, UROC (the University of Minnesota's Urban Research and Outreach Engagement Center at 2001 Plymouth Ave. N.). To register, please contact Tree Trust's Forestry Department at 952-767-3886. Space is limited.

City officials are urging interested people to get their orders in early. They say in previous years, the trees have sold quickly.