Gift Trees: Plant a Tree in Someone's Name

When I was a little girl, my mom planted a pine tree in our side yard. Today that tree towers well over 100 feet, and I love to drive by the old house just to see it. Planting gift trees in someone's name is a great way to commemorate an important event, whether it be a celebration, a memorial or a holiday like Christmas. You can plant it yourself or support an organization that is helping the planet through tree planting. You'll be giving a gift that keeps on giving. Learn more below.

(Photo by Lisa Howard)

There are a variety of sites where you can buy a tree as a gift and send a certificate commemorating the event to your gift recipient. Which one you choose depends on variables such as where you'd like the tree(s) to be planted and how much money you'd like to spend.

Plant a Tree in the U.S.

Tree Givers

Tree Givers has been planting trees since 1981. They offer a wide selection of certificates for all occasions to the sent to the gift recipient, even including pet memorial certificates. Prices start at $39.95 for gift packages. Trees will be planted on public lands in your choice of U.S. state or Canadian province.

National Arbor Day Foundation

The National Arbor Day Foundation is the world's oldest and largest tree-planting organization. It was started in 1971 and works to promote tree planting and care around the country. You can personalize a certificate for any celebration or memorial. Tree gifts are available for $1 per tree, with a $10 minimum. Trees will be planted in U.S. national forests that have been destroyed by fire.

Plant a Tree Abroad

Trees for Life International

TFL is a small nonprofit organization based in Wichita, KS that started out with the mission to help end world hunger by planting fruit and fuel trees around the world. The organization has now expanded to also include educational initiatives, such as their Books for Life program. You can purchase a gift of 10 or more trees for $1 each. (If you don't see the amount you want, you can change it in the checkout process.) Trees will be planted in developing countries where TFL works.

Heifer International

Heifer International is a nonprofit organization that helps poor families around the world become self-reliant through gifts of livestock, training and also gifts of trees. As with all their donation gifts, Heifer offers you the option to purchase a "whole" gift or a "share" of a gift. In other words, if you can't afford to donate the entire $60 to plant trees, you can purchase a share of seedlings for only $10. Trees will be planted in countries where Heifer works.

(Image provided by Zazzle)

Another way to honor someone with a tree is to plant one together. You can buy kits online with a variety of different tree types. Each one comes with a "mini-greenhouse" where you can start your tree. Once it's big enough, you can then transplant it outside and enjoy planting it together.

Planting a tree in memory of someone is a wonderful way to commemorate that person's life. Not only is it a living reminder of that individual, but it benefits the entire community and world. The following list, which comes from information provided at TreeLink by Glenn Roloff at the USDA Forest Service, gives just a few of the benefits we receive from trees.

1. One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen.

2. Research indicates that trees help reduce stress in the workplace and speed recovery of hospital patients.

3. Trees give people recreational opportunities and provide habitat for wildlife.

4. Trees may help us heal. One of every four pharmaceutical products used in the US comes from a plant found in a tropical forest.

5. Shade from trees cools hot streets and parking lots. Cities are "heat islands" that are 5-9 degrees hotter than surrounding areas.

6. Trees help recharge ground water and sustain streamflow.

7. Trees prevent or reduce soil erosion and water pollution.

8. Depending on their location, trees can reduce utility bills for air conditioning in residential homes and commercial buildings by 15-50 percent.

"People who will not sustain trees will soon live in a world which cannot sustain people. "

Bryce Nelson

"God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools. "

John Muir

"To me, nature is sacred; trees are my temples and forests are my cathedrals."

Mikhail Gorbachev

"The great French Marshall Lyautey once asked his gardener to plant a tree. The gardener objected that the tree was slow growing and would not reach maturity for 100 years. The Marshall replied, 'In that case, there is no time to lose; plant it this afternoon!'"

John F. Kennedy

"He who plants a tree loves others beside himself."

English proverb

"The best friend on Earth of man is the tree. When we use the tree respectfully and economically,

we have one of the greatest resources of the Earth."

Frank Lloyd Wright

If you decide to plant a memorial tree on your own, you might need some tips on how to do it right. This video will help you out and make sure your tree is planted properly so it can continue to grow and provide a lasting tribute for years to come.

If you've never planted a tree, be sure to follow the planting instructions that come with it. If specific instructions are not available, follow these tips:

1. Dig a hole about twice the size of the tree's root ball, or about one foot wider than the root system. The hole should be slightly shallower than the root ball. If the soil is especially heavy or wet, consider planting the tree slightly higher.

2. Remove all materials from the root mass. This includes wires, string, burlap, and biodegradable containers. Neglecting this will hinder proper root growth.

3. Gently place the tree in the center of the hole and position it to grow straight. If the tree has a prettier side, place it in the direction most frequently viewed. If planting a bare root tree, carefully spread the roots.

4. Crumble the soil removed from the hole and cover the roots with it. As you add soil to fill in around the tree, lightly tamp the soil to collapse air pockets, or add water to help settle the soil. Air pockets around the roots can be devastating to a newly planted tree.

5. Add about four inches of mulch--wood chips, shredded bark, or grass clippings--around the base of the tree, extending out to the tips of the outermost branches. A 3-foot diameter circle of mulch is common. Mulching will retain moisture, reduce weeds, maintain a more even soil temperature, and eliminate mowing next to the delicate bark. Be sure to pull the mulch away from the tree trunk because decomposing mulch can cause rot problems.

6. Finally, give the tree a thorough watering. If the root ball is extremely dry, allow water to trickle into the soil by placing the hose at the trunk of the tree.

Young trees need protection against rodents, frost cracks, sunscald, lawnmowers, and weed whackers. Plastic guards are an inexpensive and easy control method. Light colored tree wraps can be used to protect the trunk from sunscald. Usually, staking trees is not necessary unless you live in an area with high winds.

A properly planted and maintained tree will grow much faster and live much longer than one that is incorrectly planted. Trees can be planted almost anytime of the year as long as the soil is not frozen. However, early fall is the optimum time to plant trees. For the first year or two, especially after a week or so of extremely hot or dry weather, watch your tree closely for signs of moisture stress. If you see leaf wilting or hard, caked soil, water the tree well and slowly enough so the water soaks in rather than runs off.

Take the time to give your tree a good start on life. You and the next generation will enjoy the benefits of your backyard tree for years to come.

Source: USDA National Resources Conservation Service

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