The fall 2026 My Tree, Our Tree event will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 9 a.m.–noon at Herb Young Community Center. There are five tree species available. Registration is open August 5, and trees are available while supplies last. You must complete the entire registration process to secure your tree. Be sure to view your receipt at the completion of the registration process to confirm your tree. 

Tree Species Available

American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)

American hornbeam is a medium-sized tree that only reaches 20-30 feet in height. This tree is naturally an understory tree in forests, so it does well in heavy shade or partial shade. The smooth bark with a wavy, grooved pattern resembles muscles, leading to the tree commonly being called ‘musclewood’. Has a pretty orange-red fall color, and in the early spring, the tree produces yellow-green flowers and a small ‘nutlet’ with a 3-lobed leafy bract. This is a great wildlife tree, perfect for pollinators and birds, and a host plant for the larvae of the Eastern tiger swallowtail and red-spotted purple butterflies. Learn more.

 Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata)

The overcup oak, so named for its acorn cap that covers almost the entire nut, is in the white oak group with deeply rounded lobes. The overcup is a smaller, maturing oak tree, reaching only 35-60 feet in height. The leaves turn a copper or burgundy color in the fall. This oak species is naturally found in low-lying areas and along streams, but also performs well in well-drained soils. As with other oaks, this tree supports a great variety of wildlife such as small mammals, birds, and butterflies (Imperial moths and hairstreaks). Learn more.

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

Bring home the colors of fall with this stunning October Glory red maple! The tree’s foliage turns a brilliant orange and red color in late fall, and as a bonus, it produces tiny red blooms each spring. This variety is also a relatively fast grower, adding 13–24” of height on average each year, reaching a mature height of 40 feet. The tree produces small fruit that attracts birds and other wildlife. Learn more.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis)

This tree is here to serve… serve up berries to the birds! The serviceberry can take the form of a small tree (15') or large shrub, but either way, it has pretty white flowers in the spring that turn into purple berries starting in the late summer. The berries are usually eaten before the serviceberry puts on its final display of red to yellow leaves in the fall. It prefers full sun and good soil but can tolerate some shade. Choose this tree for three seasons of flowers, berries, and leaves. Learn more.

Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

The smaller of our native magnolias, sweet bay, has beautiful white flowers and big, glossy, silvery leaves. They can grow between 10 and 35 feet tall, but in our area, they tend to average around 20 feet. They are unusual in that they are semi-evergreen, meaning they retain some leaves year-round. Ornamental trees with big white spring flowers that turn into showy clusters of red berries in the fall, they love full sun to part shade, and wet soil in particular, but will put on a better flower show with more sunlight. Select this tree if you want a smaller growing tree with fragrant white flowers. Learn more.

Tree Planting Tips

We want to help you plant and grow a healthy, happy tree!

Watch this brief video by a master arborist as she describes five easy steps to properly plant a tree.

Here are a few additional resources to help with tree planting.

• Tree Planting Instructions
• Beautyberry Planting Instructions
• Tree Owners Manual
• Additional Resources

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