Free treesNonprofit
Taking Root · Cincinnati
Free 5-gallon, 5-6 foot trees for homeowners in selected low-canopy neighborhoods
Taking Root's Tree for Me gives free trees to homeowners in Cincinnati-region communities with low tree canopy, funded by the Duke Energy Foundation. Communities are selected each spring and fall when funds are available; homeowners in a selected area use the OKI Tree for Me online calculator to pick the right tree and planting spot. Over 1,500 trees have gone out since 2018.
Request a street treeCity
Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry · Portland
City contractors plant and care for a street tree in the planting strip next to your property for three years at no cost
Portland Urban Forestry plants up to 1,250 street trees each winter in the planting strips of selected neighborhoods, funded mainly by the Portland Clean Energy Fund. Contractors water, mulch, weed, and prune the trees for three years, after which the adjacent property owner takes over care. Eligible owners receive a letter and can opt out before September 15.
Free treesNonprofitSeasonal
Friends of Trees with Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry · Portland
Free street trees (with permit coordination and three years of watering) and up to five free yard trees, planted at neighborhood volunteer events
Friends of Trees plants free street and yard trees for residents of most neighborhoods in North, Northeast, Southeast, and outer East Portland, in partnership with Portland Urban Forestry and the Portland Clean Energy Fund. Staff measure and permit street tree sites and send a list of approved species; yard trees are ordered through an online tree store that opens in September. Volunteers plant the trees at neighborhood events from December through March.
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Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry · Portland
Free trees planted in your front yard or along your street, with three years of watering, weeding, and pruning by city contractors
Portland Urban Forestry plants free trees in front yards and along streets in selected low-canopy neighborhoods, funded mainly by the Portland Clean Energy Fund. Contractors plant the trees between November and March and care for them for three years, replacing any that die. Renters are welcome with the property owner's permission.
Free treesCity
Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry · Portland
Up to three free yard trees per eligible address each fall, with a watering bucket and mulch
Each fall Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry gives away free trees for private yards at homes, places of worship, and businesses inside Portland city limits. Registration for fall 2026 covers 4,500 trees, and residents choose delivery or pick-up at Saturday volunteer events. Free delivery and planting help is available for people with limited mobility.
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City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Works, Forestry Division · Pittsburgh
Request a City-planted tree in the public right-of-way in front of your property
The City of Pittsburgh Forestry Division plants trees on public property, including the strip between sidewalk and street. Residents submit a Tree Planting Request Form to the Forestry Division, which puts them on a list of interested residents considered as the City plants street trees. Planting your own tree in the right-of-way requires a Forestry permit.
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Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Street Tree Management Division · Philadelphia
Free street tree planted in front of your home or business, including inspection, concrete cut and planting
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation plants free street trees in front of homes, businesses and other properties at the owner's request. The service covers inspection, species selection, sidewalk concrete cuts and planting, and the City waters and mulches the tree for its first year. A tree that dies within one year is replaced the next planting season.
Free treesNonprofitSeasonal
Tree Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh
Free trees and shrubs in 2-gallon containers at pickup events each fall and spring
Tree Pittsburgh gives away trees and shrubs at no cost to residents throughout Allegheny County at pickup events each fall and spring. About 25 species are offered, such as sugar maple, white oak, eastern redbud and winterberry, though not every species is at every event. Plants come in 2-gallon containers with planting guidance.
Free treesCitySeasonal
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (TreePhilly) · Philadelphia
Free yard trees in 5-gallon pots with a bag of mulch at spring and fall giveaway events
TreePhilly, a Philadelphia Parks & Recreation program, gives Philadelphia residents free trees to plant in their yards at community-hosted giveaway events each spring and fall. Trees are 2 to 10 feet tall in 5-gallon buckets, with 10 to 12 species offered each season including shade, fruit and flowering trees. Each tree comes with a free bag of mulch, and staff demonstrate planting and care.
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Metro Water Services and Nashville Department of Transportation · Nashville
Permission to plant trees in the public right-of-way, with possible funding for trees, planting and watering
Individuals, community groups and nonprofits can ask Metro Nashville for permission to plant trees in the public right-of-way. Metro Water Services and the Nashville Department of Transportation review the plan; approved requests receive any required changes to placement or species, a Right-of-Way Permit application, safety guidance, and information on potential funding for trees, planting and watering. Trees must average 2-inch caliper and 6 feet tall and come from the Metro Tree Advisory Committee recommended list.
Free treesNonprofit
Root Nashville (Metro Nashville and Cumberland River Compact) · Nashville
10 or more free trees for businesses, places of worship, HOAs, apartment complexes and large yards in Davidson County
Alongside its yard-tree program, Root Nashville offers free trees in larger quantities for community sites. Businesses, places of worship, HOAs, apartment complexes and owners of large yards can apply for 10 or more trees. Applications are accepted year-round and planting usually happens October through March.
Free treesNonprofitSeasonal
Root Nashville (Metro Nashville and Cumberland River Compact) · Nashville
Up to three free trees (about 1 inch caliper, 6-8 feet tall) delivered to Davidson County residents
Root Nashville is a public-private campaign led by Metro Nashville and the Cumberland River Compact. Davidson County residents can order up to three free native or naturalized trees for their yard or other private property; the Compact delivers and you plant. Residents physically unable to plant can arrange help from the Compact's Field Team.
Free treesNonprofitSeasonal
Trees Knoxville · Knoxville
Free saplings for Knoxville residents at seasonal adoption events, first come, first served
Trees Knoxville gives away saplings to Knoxville residents at tree adoption events; trees are no-cost to adopt on a first come, first served basis, and a $30 donation per tree is welcomed. In 2025 the group provided 450 saplings through free giveaways. The next event is Cider and Saplings: Fall Tree Adoption on November 21, 2026, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Tree Yard, 634 Jessamine St, with species including serviceberry, Carolina silverbell, elderberry, paw paw, red maple, scarlet oak, eastern red cedar and sweetbay magnolia.
Free treesCitySeasonal
City of Dallas, Dallas Water Utilities · Dallas
One free 5-gallon tree per registered Dallas resident, picked up on Dallas Arbor Day
Annual free tree giveaway run by Dallas Water Utilities staff with the city's Forestry team, started in fall 2018 and now part of the Dallas Arbor Day celebration. Residents register online in September, choose a tree variety suited to North Texas and a distribution site, and pick up the 5-gallon tree on Arbor Day in early November. Trees are meant to be planted on the resident's property; delivery is not available.
OtherCity
City of Austin (Austin Resource Recovery) · Austin
Free self-loaded mulch for trees and garden beds
The City of Austin's Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center gives away mulch made from collected brush. It is free for everyone; you load it yourself. The city's Free Trees page lists it alongside NeighborWoods as a resource for new tree plantings.
RebateUtility
CPS Energy · San Antonio
$50 bill credit per qualifying shade tree, up to five rebates per account lifetime
CPS Energy, San Antonio's municipal utility, credits $50 on the customer's bill for each qualifying shade tree bought and planted near an air-conditioned building. Trees must be three-gallon container size or larger and on the Qualified Species List of more than 30 native and adapted species. Rebates are first come, first served until program funds run out.
RebateUtility
Austin Water · Austin
Up to $120 back for compost, mulch and core aeration
A small Austin Water rebate that reimburses residential customers for soil-building purchases: compost, mulch and core aeration service. It pairs well with new tree plantings, which need a mulch ring.
Free treesNonprofit
TreeFolks with the City of Austin and Austin Energy · Austin
Free 5-gallon trees delivered to your home or community space, October through March
The home-delivery side of NeighborWoods, funded by Austin Energy and the City of Austin and run by TreeFolks. Eligible residents sign up online and TreeFolks delivers a free 5-gallon tree during the planting season. A limited number of trees are set aside each season for schools, churches, apartment complexes, community gardens and small businesses, which must submit a planting and care plan.
Free treesNonprofit
TreeFolks with the City of Austin and Austin Energy · Austin
Up to two free 5-gallon trees per household each season at walk-up pickup events
TreeFolks runs NeighborWoods with the City of Austin and Austin Energy, giving away 7,000 free 5-gallon shade, ornamental and fruit trees each season. Pickup events run October through March at grocery stores and farmers' markets around Austin. Trees are first-come, first-served and no registration is needed.
Free treesNonprofitStatus not confirmed
Texas Trees Foundation · Dallas
One free tree with a bag of mulch and planting instructions at neighborhood giveaway events
Texas Trees Foundation holds free tree giveaways in Dallas-area neighborhoods through its NeighborWoods program, often tied to schools or parks. Each qualifying resident gets one tree, a bag of mulch and planting and care instructions, and is asked to plant it preferably in the public right-of-way in front of their house.
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City of Dallas Planning and Development Department, City Arborist · Dallas
Free 15-gallon trees (1.5 to 4 inch caliper) delivered for planting on neighborhood parkways and public property, organized through a planting group
The City of Dallas buys trees with its Urban Reforestation Fund and delivers them for planting on public property, including the parkway strip between the curb and the property line in front of homes. Projects must be sponsored by a planting group such as a neighborhood or community group; individual residents fill out an individual application and lot plot that the group attaches to its group application. City arborists approve species and locations and the group plants and maintains the trees.
Request a street treeCityStatus not confirmed
City of Austin (Austin 3-1-1 / Transportation and Public Works) · Austin
A channel to ask the city about trees in the public right-of-way, including empty tree wells and replacement plantings
Austin does not run a dedicated 'request a street tree' program. The city's Tree Information Center directs right-of-way tree questions to Austin 3-1-1, and 311 'Tree Issue Right of Way' tickets are used by residents to ask for new or replacement trees in empty sidewalk tree wells. Austin Transportation and Public Works can determine whether a tree or planting site is in the right-of-way.
Request a street treeNonprofitSeasonal
Trees For Houston · Houston
Free trees for neighborhood right-of-way plantings of 30 or more trees; individual street trees planted for $160 (15-gallon) or $300 (30-gallon)
Trees For Houston plants trees in the public right-of-way along Houston streets. Neighborhoods that need at least 30 trees can apply for donated trees, with homeowners installing, watering for two years and maintaining them. Individuals who want a single street tree can pay $160 for a 15-gallon or $300 for a 30-gallon tree, with planting, mulching, staking, fertilizing and first watering included. Residents can also submit potential street tree sites (minimum 25 trees, 4-foot planting space) for sponsor-funded planting.
Free treesNonprofitSeasonal
Trees For Houston · Houston
Free trees for Houstonians at registered adoption events (250 to 2,500 trees per event)
Trees For Houston's former Tree Giveaway Program, now called Tree Adoption, hands out free trees at events held at its Kinder Campus and in neighborhoods across Greater Houston. Quantities, dates and species depend on growing conditions and funding. Every event requires registration, and newsletter subscribers get notice about 7 to 12 days ahead.
Free treesNonprofit
Trees For Houston · Houston
Free 1-gallon or 5-gallon trees for planting projects by individuals, schools and nonprofits
Trees For Houston provides 1-gallon and 5-gallon trees from its inventory at no cost to individuals and local groups such as homeowners, schools and nonprofits for planting projects or community giveaways. Species come from current inventory, fruit trees are not offered, and approved applicants pick trees up on weekdays.
Free treesCity
City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, Urban Forestry · San Antonio
Free shade and ornamental trees at city giveaway events during planting season
San Antonio Parks and Recreation's Urban Forestry program gives away free trees at public events held during the October to April planting season, including the Dia del Arbol (Texas Arbor Day) celebration. The city's Urban Forestry site describes it as the Tree Adoption Program.
VolunteerNonprofit
TreeFolks · Austin
Free volunteer slots planting saplings along Austin creeks and parks, and weekday workdays at the TreeFolks nursery
TreeFolks hosts 'Ready, Set, Plant!' community plantings at Austin parks and creeks during the cool season, plus regular volunteer workdays at its nursery in east Austin and volunteer shifts at NeighborWoods tree adoption events. Anyone can sign up; no yard is required.
RebateUtility
Austin Water · Austin
Up to $3,000 for replacing healthy turf grass with native and adapted plant beds
Austin Water pays residential customers to convert lawn to native and adapted plant beds, which can include trees and shrubs planted in the fall window. Work must be pre-approved and installed during the spring or fall planting windows. Multi-family and HOA applicants have a separate application.
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Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) Urban Forestry · Seattle
Free permit and arborist site visit to plant a tree in the planting strip next to your property
SDOT manages Seattle's street trees and issues free permits to plant a tree in the planting strip between the sidewalk and curb. An SDOT arborist inspects the proposed spot and decides whether a tree is suitable; after approval you plant the tree and take on its care. Residents who want a free street tree can instead choose the street tree option in the Trees for Neighborhoods application each July, and the program handles the permit.
Free treesCitySeasonal
Seattle Public Utilities (Trees for Seattle) · Seattle
Up to three free trees per year per address (lifetime maximum of six), delivered with a watering bag and mulch
Seattle Public Utilities gives Seattle residents free yard and street trees each fall through Trees for Neighborhoods. Each tree comes with a watering bag, mulch, a required planting-and-care workshop, help with street tree permits, and watering reminders for five years. Trees are allocated by a weighted lottery that favors low-canopy neighborhoods.