Free Tree Giveaway

Registration is now closed for 2025. Registrants would have received an email about their pick-up day and time for Friday, May 2 or Saturday, May 3, 2025 at 1 Sherwood Drive.

Trees offer us so many benefits. Did you know that they provide shade from the hot sun? Trees also store rain to reduce flooding, provide shelter and food to birds, insects, and animals, clean the air we breathe and store carbon dioxide to reduce the impacts of climate change. The more trees and vegetation in your neighbourhood not only improves property values but is also great for your mental health and well-being.

Free tree details and eligibility

Brantford residents can select one tree from a possible eight free tree options based on availability. A limited number of each tree is available based on a first-come, first-served basis. Trees will vary in their full-grown height depending on growing conditions. Before selecting a free tree, we recommend selecting one that best suits the conditions of your yard as outlined in the tree species list below. In order to receive one free tree, you must meet the following criteria:

• There is a limit of one free tree per household.
• You must be a resident of the City of Brantford (within the city limit). You can check the city limit from City’s Mapping Information System.
• The tree must be planted on a City of Brantford residential property.
• If you do not own the property, permission from the property owner must be obtained before planting the tree.

How to register

Registration is now closed. Residents that registered for a free tree will receive an email regarding their pick up day and time for Friday, May 2 or Saturday, May 3, 2025. 

Tree Species 

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)  

• Large Evergreen tree native to Ontario. Ontario’s provincial tree. Called ‘Tree of Peace’ by local Haudenosaunee people.
• Feature silky smooth long needles which give a fuzzy appearance from a distance.
• Grow up to 50-80 ft. (13-24m) tall and 20-40 ft. (6-12m) wide. Dense pyramidal shape. A beautiful specimen tree.
• Plant in partial shade to full sun. Prefer a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Prefer well drained soils, and don’t do well in wet soil. Intolerant of air pollution, road salt and soil compaction.
• Fifty (50) two-gallon pots available.

Northern Red oak (Quercus rubra) 

• Fast growing, tough, extremely adaptable long-lived tree adorned with an open, rounded to broad-spreading crown.
• Inconspicuous yellow-green catkins in spring. Dark green foliage turns a red, scarlet, and rust in fall.
• Grow up to 50-70 ft. (15-21m) tall and wide.
• Full sun is ideal, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Adaptable to any soils, but prefer fertile, dry to medium moisture, and well-drained soils.
• Somewhat tolerant of urban pollution and soil compaction.
• Fifty (50) two gallon pots available.

Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) 

• Feature uniquely shaped leaves and large yellow tulip-shaped flowers.
• Leaves turn an outstanding gold in fall and flowers are followed by cone-like fruit that provide winter interest.
• Grow up to 60-80 ft. (18-24m) tall and 30-40 ft. (9-12m) wide.
• Full sun is ideal, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Grow well in soils that are moderately moist, well drained, and loose textured. Rarely do well in very wet or very dry sites.
• Low maintenance, and not subject to serious insect or disease issues. Dear and rabbit resistant.
• Fifty (50) two gallon pots available.

Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) 

• This tree is of great value to wildlife; as a food source and nesting site for birds, and the bark provides a common food source for some mammals.
• Grows up to 50-70 ft. (15-21m) tall and 25-50 ft. (7-15m) wide.
• Moist, acidic, well-drained soils are best, with full sun to partial shade.
• Slow growing, typically living for 150 to 300+ years.
• Fifty (50) two-gallon pots available.

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) 

• A lovely, small, flowering tree with short trunk and crown of spreading or nearly horizontal branches.
• Feature showy clusters of white flowers in spring and orange-red fruit in summer which may persist till late in the year.
• Forest green foliage, which emerges burgundy in spring, turns an outstanding brick red in fall.
• Grow up to 15-30 ft. (4-9m) tall and wide.
• Best in partial shade, but if planted in full sun, MUST receive adequate water.
• Require evenly moist well-drained soil for the optimal growth. Rarely do well in standing water.
• Intolerant of urban pollution. Generally pest free. Deer resistant.
• Forty (40) two-gallon pots available.

American plum (Prunus americana) 

• Leaves are dark green in summer and turn into brilliant red to pale yellow in the fall.
• Fragrant, white flowers in showy, flat-topped clusters in spring before the leaves.
• Produce clusters of edible, round, red plums in summer.
• Grow up to 15-25 ft. (4-8m) tall and wide.
• Performs best in full sun or part shade in dry to medium, well-drained soils.
• Suckers need be removed to prevent unwanted spread or to train into a small tree.
• Forty (40) two-gallon pots available.

 

Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)

• Can be grown as a smaller tree or multi-stemmed shrub.
• Trees grow 20 to 50 ft. tall and can live up to 50 years.
• Blooms of 5-petal white flowers produced in March and April, with berry-like fruits in June.
• Fruits and seeds are very important for songbirds and other wildlife.
• Fifty (50) two-gallon pots available.

Tamarack (Larix laricina)

• Typically grows to be 40 to 80 feet tall, with a straight, upright form.Needles grow in interesting tuffs, turning yellow in fall.
• Grow best in moist, well-draining soils but can handle a variety of conditions.
• Interesting fact: most conifers keep their needles year-round, but Tamaracks are deciduous conifers, with their needles turning a golden yellow in the fall. These fall and are replaced by new needles in the spring.
• Fourty (40) two-gallon pots available.

Tree Pick-up Details

Trees will be available for pick-up only at 1 Sherwood Drive, City of Brantford Parks Office on Friday, May 2nd, 2025, between 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 3rd, 2025, between 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

Pick-up details for Friday, May 2nd, 2025, between 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

On Friday, enter the parking lot off of Sherwood Drive at Oak Street entrance. Follow signage and drive straight ahead to Tree Pick up Area. To exit, follow the direction of traffic to the left and loop around the parking lot and exit where you entered.

Pick-up details for Saturday, May 3rd, 2025, between 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

On Saturday, enter the parking lot off of Sherwood Drive at Oak Street entrance. Follow signage, turning right and driving straight until you have to make another right to the Tree Pick Up Area. To exit, drive straight ahead.

If you have mobility restrictions, please contact us at 519-759-4150 ext. 5766 or forestry@brantford.ca to make arrangements.

Planting and caring for your tree

Registrant will be responsible for planting and caring for their tree; trees will not be planted by City staff.

Trees must be planted on a residential property in Brantford. Please ensure that the area you plant the tree has enough room for it grow to its full size. Trees are not to be installed on City property.

Share your tree photos

Please share pictures of your new tree and pictures of you planting it by tagging the City of Brantford on social media and using the hashtags #BrantfordClimateAction #FreeTrees. Let’s get excited about trees, Brantford!