Tree Seedling Giveaway in Vassallo Park This Saturday!

The Village of Croton-on-Hudson is sponsoring a Tree Seedling giveaway in partnership with the Conservation Advisory Council on Saturday, May 6th in Vassallo Park, starting at 11:30 AM. One and two-year seedlings from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s tree nursery in Saratoga Springs will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, one per person, until supplies run out.

Plants are bare-root and will be wrapped in damp newspaper for you. Please bring a box or bag to take them home in.

SPECIES AVAILABLE

• Red Oak - One of the towering trees of our woodlands, to 100 feet. Big acorns are plentiful. Plant this tree only if you have the right place for it. It is long-lived and a keystone species in our local ecosystem. An oak over its lifetime supports hundreds of species of wildlife that eat its leaves and acorns, and take shelter in its branches. Give it a sunny location with average moisture and room to grow.
• Bear Oak - A small tree or shrub, 12-20 feet tall. In the wild it is a transitional species that grows in after wildfires and is replaced by taller trees. We are offering this species for people who want an oak for its unbeatable ecological value (oaks support over 500 species of caterpillars, which feed oodles of birds) but don’t have room for a big one. Give it a location in full sun with average moisture.
• River Birch - An elegant medium-sized tree, tall and slender, usually multi-trunked with attractive exfoliating (peeling) bark and a spreading crown with slightly weeping branches. River birch usually grows to 30-50 feet in height. Give it a location in partial shade in average to moist soil.
• Pussy Willow - This is a tall shrub or short tree, to 20 feet. The familiar gray catkins are the flower buds and appear before the leaves in early spring. Pussy willow is fast-growing and has long roots. Give it a sunny spot in average to moist soil. It loves a wet spot if you have one. Don’t plant near septic fields or underground pipes.
• American Witchhazel - A tall shrub/small understory tree of our local woodlands. Witchhazel grows to about 15-30 feet and has a crooked, spreading habit. Its small, fragrant yellow flowers in late October close out the growing season. It has golden fall foliage. Plant in full sun to shade, in average to moist soil.