We're BACK to hosting volunteer events!
Join us as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!
In honor of Latino Heritage Month, City Plants is partnering with the City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works, LA Department of Water and Power, LA Sanitation & Environment, StreetsLA, the LA Conservation Corps, and many partners to host a community tree plantings and free fruit and shade tree adoption events.
Volunteer Tree Planting & Free Tree Adoption
September 25, 2021
9:00am to 12:00pm
Boyle Heights
Co-hosted by Council Member Kevin de León

Want to help us plant trees? Register to volunteer — Space is limited!
Volunteer Tree Planting & Free Tree Adoption
October 9, 2021
9:00am to 12:00pm
Sun Valley
Co-hosted by Council President Nury Martinez

Want to help us plant trees? Register to volunteer — Space is limited!
Free Fruit & Shade Tree Adoption
October 9, 2021
9:00am to 12:00pm
Jazz Festival
Co-hosted by Council Member Gil Cedillo

Adopt up to 7 FREE trees to plant in your private property!
Catch Us at NYC Climate Week on September 20th with Ecosia & American Forests!
There’s a buzz about tree planting these days, but it’s not all created equal. Getting it right is crucial to ensure trees survive and thrive. In this panel discussion, three experts from leading tree-planting organizations discuss the challenges of reforestation, from remote forests, to dry deserts, to greening cities; the importance of collaboration with local communities; and how to tell the difference between a valid tree-planting program and greenwashing.

Catch City Plants' very own Executive Director, Rachel O'Leary, alongside Pieter Van Midwoud, Chief Tree Planting Officer at Ecosia, and Jad Daley, President and CEO of American Forests.
Worried about the drought?
Ditch your turf for a beautiful low-water use garden!
Ready to ditch your turf and apply for LADWP’s turf rebate? Not sure where to start? LADWP offers customers resources to replace your turf with a beautiful low-water use garden.
  • Attend a California Friendly Landscaping Training online to learn the benefits of converting your turf to low-water use plants
  • Attend an outdoor Hands on Workshop to learn proper turf removal, planting techniques, grading for rain water capture and drip irrigation installation
  • Get free low-water use trees! LA City residents are eligible to receive up to 7 free trees to plant on private property. Sign up for our Delivery Program or pick up a tree from a Curbside Adoption near you!
  • Apply for free landscape design services for your turf replacement project through the Turf Replacement Design Service
  • Apply for a $3 per square foot rebate* for your turf replacement project through the Turf Replacement Rebate (*250 sq. ft. minimum and up to 5000 sq. ft. for residential customers)
Farewell, California Climate Action Corps Fellows!
Last week, we said goodbye to our wonderful Climate Action Corps fellows from Governor Newsom's Office, Bay Area Community Resources, and California Volunteers! After nearly 8 months, these amazing folks have had an incredible impact on LA’s urban forest. They’ve helped build our new tree nursery from the ground up, launched the new Tree Ambassador & Promotor Forestal community organizing program in low canopy communities, conducted critical policy research supporting LA’s Urban Forest Management Plan and tree equity goals in Mayor Garcetti's Green New Deal, and so much more. What an honor to work alongside these fierce leaders and climate changers! Bryce, Leo, Kimberly, Miles, and Krystle - Thank you for your passion, dedication, and phenomenal work!
September Volunteer Spotlight
A Pomegranate Tree Tale
Lauren Schlau, LA5 Rotary Club Volunteer with City Plants
"On a rainy spring morning three years ago, I eagerly ventured to Hazard Park in East Los Angeles to plant trees with City Plants. The Downtown LA5 Rotary Club had been invited and, since I was aware of how much trees contribute to our environment and had planted trees before in my neighborhood, I was pretty sure I could set the roots in right!

With gloves and my trusty ax in hand, I arrived at the park around 9am. There, we were briefed and received our assigned tools and trees. We slogged through the drizzle, digging through mud and muck, but we planted all our assigned trees and even had time to help others. Once the tasks were finished, we all were treated to fresh and savory tacos made right on the spot! At the end of the event, each of us was invited to take home a free City Plants Yard tree. I perused the options and noticed one with a Pomegranate tag. I was intrigued since I love pomegranates and because, in my Jewish religion, this fruit is associated with the Jewish New Year (as it ripens in early fall) and a pomegranate’s seeds represent the number of good deeds we are meant to perform each year. I asked if it needed a lot of watering and whether it would really bear fruit, and once I was assured yes to both questions, I took my tree home.

I gave the tree, who I named "Pommy," the required water weekly and waited the next spring and summer for signs of fruit, but saw none in that first year. Then. Pommy lost all its leaves and I thought I’d killed it! I asked a friend who has Pomegranate trees about this and she said it was completely normal. Sure enough, early next spring, its green leaves returned and I was excited again, especially after seeing little red lantern-like flowers that I was sure would bear fruit. Over the next months, I talked to and gave Pommy words of encouragement as I watered it but, to my dismay, the flowers fell off and again no fruit! This year, as the third spring approached, I saw the red flowers blossom again but I had little expectations this time. March turned to April, and April to May, and finally the flowers did not fall and fruit was growing! As the summer progressed, the fruit continued to get bigger and bigger. In total, eleven fruits grew, and despite the squirrels getting to three of them, I am now enjoying Pommy’s first fruit, right in time for this early Jewish New Year! Thank you, City Plants, for this beautiful and enduring gift!"
Dig In: LA's Urban Forest Equity Collective
Check out our new infographics visualizing key takeaways from LA's Urban Forest Equity Streets Guidebook, published earlier this year with LA's Urban Forest Equity Collective and Visiting Scholar Dr. Vivek Shandas.
More Upcoming Events
Free Fruit & Shade Tree Curbside Adoptions
Pick-up a free fruit or shade tree in a neighborhood near you! Sign up below — Spots fill up fast and are first come, first served!

Please note there is a 7 yard tree limit per household. The trees come in 5-gallon containers and are typically 3-6 feet tall. Yard trees must be planted in the ground on private property.
Los Angeles Conservation Corps Adoption
Griffith Park
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021
9:o0am - 1:00pm

Trees Available:
Bronze Loquat, Chinese Flame, Common Plum*, Crape Myrtle, Fern Pine, Guava*, Olive, Peach*, Pear*, Pink Trumpet, Purple Orchid, Sweet Bay

Registration closes at 12pm on Friday, 09/17
Los Angeles Conservation Corps Adoption
Sherman Oaks
Friday, September 24th, 2021
10:o0am - 12:00pm

Trees Available:
African Sumac, Aleppo Pine, Bronze Loquat, Chinese Flame, Chinese Pistache, Crape Myrtle, Fern Pine, Olive, Peppermint, Purple Orchid, Sweet Bay

Registration closes at 12pm on Friday, 09/17
Los Angeles Conservation Corps Adoption
Griffith Park
Wednesday, September 29th, 2021
9:o0am - 1:00pm

Trees Available:
African Sumac, Aleppo Pine, California Live Oak, Crape Myrtle, Fern Pine, Guava*, Olive, Peach*, Pear*, Pink Trumpet, Purple Orchid

Registration closes at 12pm on Friday, 09/24
TreePeople
Adoption
Sun Valley
Saturday, October 2nd, 2021
8:o0am - 11:00am

Trees Available:
African Sumac, Brisbane Box, California Live Oak, Chinese Flame, Chinese Pistache, Drake Chinese Elm, Fern Pine, Olive, Peppermint, Sweet Bay

Registration closes at 12pm on Friday, 09/24
*Fruit Trees
Note: up to 2 of your allotted 7 yard trees can be fruit trees