Free trees in Washington square this Saturday

WASHINGTON — It’s a great week to be a prospective arborist in Washington, as the city’s Tree Committee holding its annual giveaway in the square this Saturday starting promptly at 8 a.m., where it will give away 120 trees on a first-come, first-served basis.

“It’s always exciting,” Tree Committee Chair Marde McConnell said. “People start lining up at seven o’clock if they already know what they want.”

The committee encourages recipients to contact Iowa One Call before they start planting. The number to do so is 1-800-292-8989.

Organizers will hand out 10 each of a dozen tree varieties at the event, which typically lasts around 20 minutes from start to finish. Those tree varieties are:

Montgomery Cherry: a cold-hardy hybrid species that ripens early in the season. The medium-large, bright red fruit has a yellow flesh; clear juice: and a rich, tart flavor that bakers and jam makers love.

Kousa Dogwood: considered both a flowering and an ornamental plant, this tree is typically planted for both its visual interest and profusion of spring flowers.

Pawpaw Tree: cold-hardy tree is native to North America and produces dark green fruit with unique and delicious vanilla or banana/mango flavors. To produce the fruit, two pawpaw trees have to grow near each other, and they rely on beetles to pollinate them, instead of bees or butterflies.

Grace Smoke Tree: has foliage that is a vibrant wine red when young, darkening to a plum red at maturity. Expect brilliant shades of orange-red in fall.

Ann Magnolia Tree: a beautiful Japanese Magnolia with purplish red flowers that bloom in mid- to late-spring. Not recommended to be planted near houses as the roots are invasive to tile drains.

Flowering Dogwood: a small to medium low-branched tree. The reddish brown bark is deeply grooved with raised bumps that is compared to alligator skin. Each spring, the tree develops flowers surrounded by three-inch white or light pink bracts.

Black Gum Tree: considered one of the most beautiful in the fall, with stunning colors of yellow, orange, red or purple, with all colors present on the tree at one time. In the winter, the tree is strikingly picturesque with its wiry angles.

Tulip Tree: This deciduous tree trunk may reach 4 to 6 feet in diameter. Named and noted for cup shaped, tulip-like yellow flowers that bloom in the spring. Not recommended to be planted near houses as the roots are invasive to tile drains.

Native Pecan Tree: Pecan trees are cross-pollinated and although self-pollination is possible, the result is usually unsuccessful. Pecan trees do not bear fruit until they are between 4 and 12 years old.

Overcup Oak Tree: The Overcup Oak tree has a growth rate of 13-24 inches per year. Life span is expected to be 400 years and tolerates wet soil or blazing heat and humidity.

Dawn Redwood: a massive, fast-growing deciduous tree. It would look great as a shade tree or as a street tree. It compares to a bald cypress since both drop their needles in the winter.

Canaan Fir: an attractive medium-sized evergreen tree exhibiting a relatively dense, pyramidal crown with a slender spire-like tip that often imparts a formal appearance.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com