Arbor Day at Holden Arboretum

Come celebrate trees with us! Enjoy free admission to the Holden Arboretum in honor of Arbor Day. Admire the spring blooms, stroll our expansive trail system, and introduce yourself to every tree on campus!

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Cost FREE

Friday, April 26th, 9am-5pm

Come celebrate trees with us! Enjoy free admission to the Holden Arboretum in honor of Arbor Day. Admire the spring blooms, stroll our expansive trail system, and introduce yourself to every tree on campus!

Click to read the history of Arbor Day

Learn about our seedling giveaway

We will be giving away free tree seedlings to visitors at the Holden Arboretum and Cleveland Botanical Garden on Arbor Day, while supplies last. See info and plantings tips below.

Corylus americana (American hazelnut)

Squirrels love hazelnuts, and we think you will, too!

Mature size: 15-18 ft

Growth rate: 13-24 in/yr

Site selection: Tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, but not standing water.

Light conditions: Full sun for best production, tolerates shade.

Cercis canadensis (eastern redbud)

This highly ornamental tree in the bean family is an essential source of nourishment for native pollinators early in the year.

Mature size: 20-30 ft

Growth rate: ~1 ft/yr

Site selection: Medium to moist soil

Light conditions: Full sun to part shade

Quercus rubra (northern red oak)

This adaptable native oak is very well-represented in Holden’s collections, with around 45 accessioned trees spread across both campuses.

Mature size: 60-70 ft

Growth rate: ~2 ft/yr

Site selection: Dry to medium soil ranging from circumneutral to acidic. Tolerates clay. No standing water.

Light conditions: Full sun to part shade

Quercus alba (white oak)

Like other oaks, white oak is an ecosystem engineer, providing food and shelter for hundreds of species of plants and animals.

Mature size: 60-100 ft

Growth rate: ~1 ft/yr

Site selection: Well-drained soil. Intolerant of extremely dry soil.

Light conditions: Full sun to part shade

Amelanchier laevis (Allegheny serviceberry)

Serviceberries are among the tastiest of Ohio’s native fruits. Good luck beating the birds to the crop, though!

Mature size: 15-25 ft

Growth rate: 1-2 ft/yr

Site selection: Moist well drained soils

Light conditions: Full sun to part shade

Planting Info

Keep the soil with your seedling moist but not wet. Keep your seedling out of direct sunlight in a cool location until you are ready to plant. Ideally you will be able to plant your seedling before the leaves are out. If your plant has started leafing out, place your seedling outside in partial shade for two to three days before planting to acclimate it.

If the soil is infertile, amend it with about 10% composted organic matter. Plant your seedling at a level where one of the uppermost roots can be seen. Make a doughnut-shaped berm of soil 2 inches tall and 1 foot in diameter around the base to facilitate watering. Do not place mulch by or touching the stem. Water about every 3 days; after 2 months water about once a week. A slow-release fertilizer is mixed into the potting soil with the seedling. No additional fertilizing is needed through the summer.

You may surround your seedling with an 18-inch diameter cylinder of metal mesh (chicken wire or hardware cloth) to exclude rabbits and mowers. The mesh cylinder can be tied to two wooden stakes driven into the ground inside the cylinder. If deer are present, cap the cylinder with mesh.

What to see and do on Arbor Day

VISIT A JESSE OWENS OLYMPIC OAK

The Jesse Owens Olympic Oak Plaza in Cleveland includes public art installations, a memorial to Jesse Owens, and a newly planted Olympic Oak tree. The tree is genetically identical to one of the four trees awarded to Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.

PLEDGE PEOPLE FOR TREES™

Holden Forests & Gardens is entering year three of our People for Trees campaign to have 15,000 trees planted in Northeast Ohio by 2025. Already, more than 10,000 trees have been pledged, and planted and given away. But we still need more People for Trees to pledge and plant. Share your love of nature and invite a friend, neighbor, and family member to join us. Pledge at holdenfg.org/people-for-trees

Learn more about trees

Keep the Woods Healthy

The amazing thing is… this goal can and should be kept while meeting any of the other goals! The health of a forest never, ever needs to be sacrificed for woods to be profitable, enjoyed, or protected. Some key questions that will help you determine management actions: Are you aware of pests, diseases, and other threats that… »

How to Calculate the Benefits of a Tree

i-Tree is a software suite, from the U.S. Forest Service, that consists of tools that calculate the value of trees in urban areas and your home. For more information and a descriptive list of the tools and programs visit itreetools.org.

Maintaining Healthy Trees

Learn how to maintain healthy trees with a guide on site selection, tree planting, watering, pruning and other tips.

View all events & special exhibits

Here’s more to explore at Holden Arboretum

People for Trees™

Make a difference in
your own backyard.

Plant and care for a tree beginning with making a pledge. We will support each pledge with easy-to-follow instructional toolkits, guidance on how to select the most appropriate tree and where to purchase it, free virtual classes and other ongoing support.

Make a pledge