Giveaway to feature 12 types of trees

Don?t be surprised to see a crowd of people standing in line in Washington?s Central Park at 8 a.m. Saturday. The Washington Tree Beautification Committee will hold its tree giveaway at that time, and in the past the event has drawn about 100 people.

Tree committee president Marde McConnell said the committee gave away 135 trees last year and plans to give away 125 this year. She said the committee has given away trees for about 20 years.

?We let everybody through once, and if there are any left, some people end up with a couple more trees,? she said.

There will be a variety of trees to choose from at the giveaway. The committee will give away three kinds of small trees under 30 feet tall, four kinds of medium trees 45-50 feet tall and four kinds of tall trees 50-90 feet tall. It will also give away two kinds of evergreen trees. McConnell said the committee will try to acquire at least five of each of the 12 types of trees.

Before planting the trees, people should dial Iowa One Call (1-800-292-8989), which will check to see if there are any underground obstructions. This should be done a minimum of 48 hours prior to the desired time of planting. The committee recommends marking the desired location with a marker of some kind that is at least 15 inches tall. If residents plan to plant a tree in their terrace they must pick up a tree permit from city hall. Not all species of trees may be planted in the terrace.

McConnell said that some trees would cause a problem in the terrace because of their size. She said that people who plant trees should be mindful of what?s below ground and what?s directly above them.

?If you want to plant a tree that can grow 70 feet, you don?t want to put it under a wire,? she said.

The pagoda dogwood is a small tree which grows up to 20 feet high and requires a terrace width of six feet. It is an ornamental tree with irregular tiers of branches that give it a layered appearance. The redbud is a small tree that grows to 30 feet high and displays rosy pink flowers in April. The Japanese lilac grows to 25 feet high and features fragrant, creamy white flowers that bloom in large panicles in June and July.

The matador maple is about 45 feet tall at maturity and requires a minimum terrace width of 10 feet. It is an excellent specimen that forms a spreading shape at maturity. The purple robe locust can grow to 50 feet and requires a minimum terrace width of 10 feet. It is a globe-shaped tree with ascending branches. Its foliage emerges bronzy-red and matures to be bronzy-green in the summer. The greenspire linden grows to be 50 feet as well and is commonly planted in lawns because of its straight trunk and oval shape. It displays pale yellow flowers in the spring that turn to dark green leaves in the summer.

The American Valley Forge elm grows to 50 feet and has a spread just as large. It has proven to be highly resistant to the Dutch Elm disease. It is a fast-growing plant and is tolerant of poor soil, salt and drought. The green vase zelkova can grow to 70 feet tall and just as its name would imply, is shaped as a vase. It has upright, arching branches. The dark green foliage turns orange-brown to bronze-red in the fall.

The tulip tree and the scarlet oak are the tallest trees the committee will give away, both growing up to 90 feet tall. The tulip tree flowers in May and June and produces attractive green and yellow blossoms with a tangerine tint at the base. The tree grows best in well-drained and slightly acidic soils. The scarlet oak is a spectacular fall tree that sports scarlet leaves and a pyramidal shape. It is adaptable and prefers moist well-drained soil.

The two evergreens the committee has are the Austrian pine and the Norway spruce. The Austrian pine tops out at 50 feet tall and is very hardy. It is able to withstand high winds, heat and drought conditions. It can tolerate clay and alkaline soils. The Norway spruce is the fastest growing of the spruces and matures to 60 feet tall. It is an ideal windbreaker because of its strong, graceful branches.

The trees that will be given away Saturday will be bare root with the exception of the evergreens which will be containerized. McConnell suggests planting the trees as soon as possible so the roots do not dry out. She recommends watering the tree after it is planted and surrounding the base with mulch.

After the tree giveaway, 72 trees will be planted at the Washington County Fair campgrounds. The tree giveaway is partly sponsored by Alliant Energy and the Washington Betterment Foundation.