Thank you for attending Mayfest & visiting the Tree booth this year.  The free trees are provided through a collaboration of several local groups.  Our partners are:
 

City of Fort Worth Parks & Community Services Department, Forestry Section maintain all trees on public property within Fort Worth.  They also offer free tree planting programs, volunteer programs and opportunities to get involved in the community, and conduct the heritage tree program. Forestry provides the organizational & logistical support for the Mayfest Tree booth, as well as recruits volunteers to operate it.

Tell us your Mayfest tree story!  We want to hear how your tree is doing.  e-mail us!

After planting, be sure to register your tree with Tree North Texas.

Tree North Texas is the regional urban forestry initiative involving 40 communities in North Texas. This program will be the largest tree planting initiative in the nation, with a plan to plant 3 million trees in North Texas during the next 10 years.

Click here to see our progress.
Click here to register your tree.

Tree Planting & Care Instructions

	PLANTING Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and as deep •Roughen the sides and bottom of the hole •Add soil to bottom to bring root ball level to surrounding soil line or slightly higher •Orient the tree •Check for circling roots, loosen them, score the root ball •Backfill with same native soil, tamp down & water
MULCH •Build mulch ring around root ball •Add mulch about 1 -2 inches deep •Keep mulch away from the trunk of tree (mulch around the trunk can cause bark suffocation or rot) •Avoid injury to trunk with weed-eaters or lawn mowers – the mulch ring will help protect the tree		WATERING •Water seedling once a week through summer, until established •Water slowly & deeply so that water soaks deep into the soil (not like you would water grass)
FERTILIZING •Do not fertilize your seedling
	STAKING •You should not have to stake the tree because it is so small(it will establish a stronger root system when not staked) •In the future, if you feel staking is necessary, stake loosely so that tree can sway (this encourages lateral root growth) •Remove staking within one year	Staking damage.  The staking system girdled the tree trunk because it was not removed as the tree grew.  This causes permanent damage & it compromises the health & safety of the tree.
PRUNING •Prune any dead or damaged limbs at time of planting •Do not do any aesthetic pruning until the end of the second growing season •Remove co-dominant leaders (so that there is only one main dominant branch)

Join Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council & "grow" with us! 

Mayfest Tree Species for 2013
 

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) Growth Rate:  Rapid Height:  50’ +, Spread:  25-50’ Soils: Sand, loam, clay, limestone Shade Tolerance:  Full sun, part shade Water Requirements:  Drought resistant Wildlife Value: structure & branching provides habitat for wildlife Native:  Central & East Texas native Comments:  Brilliant burnt orange fall color; naturally occurring in moist areas, but does well in dry areas, ancient tree: known to the dinosaurs, “knees” arise if soil has poor drainage Graphic from Robert O'Brien; Texas Forest Service - Texas Tree Planting Guide

Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)                                                                                   Growth Rate: Slow Height: 50’ +, Spread:  50’ + Soils: Sand, loam, clay, caliche Shade Tolerance: Full sun, part sun, part shade Water Requirements: Drought resistant Wildlife Value:  acorns, important food source for birds & mammals, good canopy substrate for insectivorous birds, larval host for Sleepy & Juvenile’s Duskywing butterflies Native: North Texas native Comments: Provides deep shade, has few insect or disease problems, graceful, attractive leaves, long-lived Graphic from Robert O'Brien; Texas Forest Service - Texas Tree Planting Guide

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)                                                                               Growth Rate: Rapid Height:  40’-50’, Spread:  30’ - 40’ Soils: Sand, loam, clay, limestone Shade Tolerance: Full sun, part sun Water Requirements: Drought resistant Wildlife Value: Seeds & buds eaten by many birds, good nesting & cover tree for birds, some mammals browse leaves, larval host for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail & Orange Sulfur butterflies Native: North Texas native Comments: Hardy, fast growing tree with deep green summer color and yellow fall foliage; able to grow in most soils Graphic from Robert O'Brien; Texas Forest Service - Texas Tree Planting Guide

Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)    Growth Rate: Moderate Height:  50 +’, Spread:  50’ + Soils:  sand, loam, clay, limestone Shade Tolerance: Full sun, part shade Water Requirements: Drought resistant Wildlife Value: acorns are eaten by variety of wildlife, good cover & nesting tree, good substrate for insectivorous birds, larval host for Horace’s Duskywing & Northern White Hairstreak butterflies Native: North Texas native Comments: Beautiful, spreading canopy with mostly evergreen leaves; symbol of the South, susceptible to Oak Wilt Graphic from Robert O'Brien; Texas Forest Service - Texas Tree Planting Guide

Shumard Red Oak (Quercus shumardii) Growth Rate: Rapid Height:  50’ +, Spread:  25’ - 50’  Soils: Sand, loam, clay, limestone, caliche Shade Tolerance: Full sun, part shade Water Requirements: Drought resistant Wildlife Value: Excellent nesting & cover, good substrate for insectivorous birds, acorns are relished by many mammals, gamebirds & songbirds, larval host for Horace’s Duskywing & Northern White Hairstreak Native: North Texas native Comments: Beautiful fall color, upright shape; provides good shade, susceptible to Oak Wilt Graphic from Robert O'Brien; Texas Forest Service - Texas Tree Planting Guide