Arbor Day Means Free Trees

The Urban Garden Center in Pearl City and Kahe Power Plant on the Leeward coast will join other tree-giveaway sites Saturday in Oahu’s annual celebration of trees.

Hawaiian Electric Co. and its partners have 2,700 trees and shrubs for the public Saturday in the island’s 20th annual observance of the national holiday. The first Arbor Day – in 1872 in Nebraska – resulted in the planting of an estimated 1 million trees.

HECO will have a variety of plants to choose from – one per customer – at each site, including fruit trees, spice plants, flowering shrubs, and native plants. New this year are ‘akia, cup and saucer, Hawaiian Flag hibiscus, wiliwili, bay leaf, dwarf wi, sour sop and star fruit.

Certified arborists and volunteers will be on hand to answer questions and advise on planting and care.

Organizers urge the public to arrive early, as supplies deplete quickly.

The giveaway starts at 7 a.m. Nov. 2 at the garden center and power plant. Other sites opening at 7 a.m. are HECO’s Ward Avenue facility and its Koolau base yard in Kailua; and 9 a.m. at Waimea Valley and Wahiawa Botanical Garden.

For more information about the event, email info@arbordayhawaii.org or call 543-7511.