Varieties, Care, and Planting Information

Every year, the Co-op celebrates Earth Day with a free tree giveaway. So come get yours Wednesday, April 22!

For those of you who want to plant an entire forest, we see you, but one tree per customer, please. Coming from Bellingham-based Fourth Corner Nurseries, this year's varieties are the Flowering Dogwood, Mock Orange, and Twinberry Honeysuckle.

And! If you come in to shop with your reusable shopping bag, we’ll give you TWO Tokens for Tomorrow instead of one, to donate to one of these local non-profits: Skagit PFLAG, NW Immigrant Rights Foundation, Skagit Legal Aid, Concrete Dress it Forward.

Care of Bare Root Trees

Our Earth Day trees are bare root, and have some important care instructions to consider between the time you get them at the Co-op and when you plant them. Here are some helpful tips from Fourth Corner Nurseries:

When storing bare-root plants, avoid exposing roots to the open air as it will dry them out.

Keep plants in a humid, well-ventilated cold storage area at 33-39 degrees F until planting. If cold storage is not available, remove packaging and heel plants into moist sawdust, straw, or soil.
Soaking roots prior to transplanting is recommended.

Planting Bare Root Trees

Before planting, soak the tree for 30-60 minutes in a 5-gallon bucket.
Dig a hole 2x as wide and 1x as deep as the roots. Water the holes before planting.
Place one plant in the hole and fill with enough soil to reach the top of the roots.
Water again to elimiate any air gaps.
If possible, mulch around the new plant. Make a mulch-donut, where the outside of the ring is thicker than in the middle—make sure to not pile mulch up on the stem.

2026 Earth Day Trees

Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida

Native location: Native to the Eastern US, and now found across the country. Grows flowers from April–June.
Soil/Water Requirements: Thrives in moist, well-drained soil high in organic matter.
Sun Requirements: Direct or partial sun, tolerates shade.
Size: Grows 15–30 feet tall; begins flowering at 3 feet tall.

Mock Orange

Philadelphus lewisii

Native location: Native to Western North America, down the coast and East toward MT & CO.
Sun requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil/Water Requirements: Highly adaptable and drought-tolerant
Size: Grows from 4–10 feet tall.

Twinberry Honeysuckle

Lonicera involucrata

Native location: Native to NW America, down the coast to California.
Sun requirements: Full sun to partial shade
Soil/Water Requirement: Prefers consistently moist and nutrient-rich soil.
Size: Grows from 5–20 feet tall.

Get a Free Tree On Earth Day!