The Spring 2025 Giveaway with new species is now open. Order at the bottom of the page.
We appreciate your help spreading the word!
Native Tree Giveaway
Trees are Cool!
Native Trees Restore Biodiversity and Keep Us Cool.
40% tree coverage is needed to get a cooling effect in a city. In Toronto, we have neighbourhoods that lack tree coverage, and we want to help change this. We all can plant another native tree in our yard and therefore will play an active part in making the world a better place for us, future generations and wildlife alike. And we thank you for planting the biggest possible tree for your available space to make the biggest impact.
This tree giveaway, we also want to ask you to take some time and find a way to share the tree giveaway with people in neighbourhoods with low tree canopy. This will have a greater benefit to the living standard of our city as a whole. Through providing great shade and through transpiration, trees reduce the City's heat island effect by 5ºC in summer. As a windbreak, they also save heating costs in winter. Their green appearance, beauty, and scent reduce stress, increase school performance, and contribute to our overall health and well-being. One Oak, Maple or other medium sized tree sequesters over 3200 kg of CO2, mitigates about 513,000 litres of stormwater and removes around 77 kg of air pollutants during its life. Trees provide privacy and increase property value by up to 20% for your property and neighbourhood.
Native trees also tremendously benefit wildlife by providing food and shelter and therefore counteract biodiversity loss.
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The City of Toronto has the visionary goal of a 40% tree canopy cover by 2050 to become one of the most livable cities in the world. The City has made this event possible by generously providing all trees through a
Community Planting & Stewardship Grant for this Neighbourhood Tree Giveaway.
Therefore, the trees and shrubs are for Toronto residents only and can only be planted within City boundaries on private property.
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Scarborough Food Security Initiative has graciously allowed us to hold the tree pick-up at their
Community Farm Garden
located at 3595 St. Clair Avenue East,
on May 24th, 2025
from 10 am to 2 pm
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The Scarborough Food Security Initiative will organize a Market simultaneously with local vendors, kids' games, food & drinks, live music and more. Click here to learn more about the Scarborough Food Security Initiative and how to support their important work.​​​
​You can order free native trees/shrubs to plant on your private property within Toronto's borders. Check out the offered species below and match them to your garden conditions and space. ​
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Good to know:
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All trees are native to Toronto and suited for our urban environment.
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The trees come in 1-gallon pots and are small enough to be carried home easily.
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For the long-term health of a tree, it is much better to plant younger trees than more developed trees since their root system is not damaged from growing too long in too small pots and becoming root-bound or grown in nursery beds and getting their roots regularly cut and severed. The very best way to achieve the long-term success of a tree would even be to plant a few months-old saplings if you can protect them.
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When you plant any tree, make sure to open up the roots so they do not keep growing in a circle!
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In the wild, trees grow in communities. Planting in groups of at least two to three trees together on a 6-foot center is ideal. The tree roots will interlock, giving them excellent stability, and they will support each other in producing a healthy, resilient environment.
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It is best to remove the lawn generously around the tree/s and replace it with some understory trees, shrubs, ground cover or sedges. This enables a small ecosystem to get to work; insects will complete their life cycle in the soil because they have a soft landing when they fall off the tree and, therefore, can fulfill their role in the food web as a protein-rich food source for other wildlife, like our birds. Additionally, the soil around the root system will not constantly get compacted by mowing the lawn, so the soil organisms can create beneficial mutual relations with the trees and enhance their health. Check out the concept of a soft landing on Heather Holm's fantastic website.
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The soil around the tree must always be covered to stay alive and for the tree to thrive. Mulch, like wood chips or leaves, is commonly used. Even better are plants as ground cover, like wild strawberry, wild ginger, native Solomon's seal or native sedges. Rainfall on bare soil compacts the soil and causes depletion of nutrients and all beneficial soil life.
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The mulch cannot touch the tree trunk, which causes rot, but should be put around in a doughnut shape.
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Thanks to Birchcliff Treecare, we have free mulch available at the pickup.
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A pollinator garden with short plants so that the tree gets enough sunlight can also be planted around the tree and maintained as long as the tree is still small and doesn't shade the pollinator plants.
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Fall is the best time to plant a tree since it doesn't need to produce seeds, and the roots still grow as long as the soil isn't frozen.
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Spring is the second-best time to plant a tree because trees don't need to deal with the stresses of the summer heat, but since they need to produce leaves and flowers, they need a lot more water to perform these tasks.
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It is imperative to protect young trees from damage. One small nick with the lawnmower will develop into a larger wound as the tree grows. Trees can never heal their injuries, and the injuries will always stay a weaker entrance point for disease.
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Plant your trees and shrubs as soon as possible, best within a week.
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Call OntarioOneCall at least five days before you dig. It's the law.
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Species of the trees/shrubs are subject to availability and may change or be substituted.
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Some of the offered species are edible for humans. Please conduct thorough research on how to prepare the plant to be safe for human consumption. Also, remember that wild food is very potent. Please always test with small quantities if you might be allergic to a particular compound. And only eat small quantities.
Profiles of the Powerhouse Trees
Appearance. Ecological Value. Growing Conditions.
Swamp White Oak
Quercus bicolor
The swamp white oak is a hardy, magnificent shade tree with a broad, rounded crown and uniquely bicoloured leaves that are shiny and dark green on the surface and lighter on the underside. Like all oaks, this tree lives up to 350 years and is the most beneficial plant you can add to your yard for wildlife, especially birds. The leaves are an abundant food source for over 500 different species of caterpillars, essential for a functioning foodweb. For example, one pair of chickadees needs 9000 caterpillars within the six weeks of raising their young. And oaks will produce them. To better understand how vital oaks are for our ecology, especially for birds, watch Doug Tallamy's presentation and check out his book, "The Nature of Oaks". Oaks are the host plant for the beautiful Hairstreak butterflies.
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In the fall, the leaves turn a beautiful orange and red. Once fallen, oak leaves are better mulch than wood chips. They likewise don't decompose during one season. Still, they are loose enough to offer habitat to firefly larvae, bumblebee queens, and many other beneficial insects during winter, and they are said to repel slugs and grubs.
Their acorns are the sweetest of all oaks and offer an abundant food source for small mammals, birds like ducks, turkeys, woodpeckers, blue jays, and even beavers and black bears. Blue Jays hide over 100 viable acorns up to one mile from the mother tree daily for a month, making them the number one planter of oaks. Older trees often have cavities that provide shelter and nesting sites for birds and mammals. Check out the excellent article by Brenna Anstett.
Natural companion plants are Sugar Maple, other Oak species, American Beech, River Birch, Pagoda Dogwood, Chokeberry, all the woodland spring ephemerals and Joe Pye Weed.
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Large
Height: 60+ ft
Width: 60+ ft
Full sun to partial shade
Requires neutral to slightly acidic soil
Tolerates seasonal flooding and dry soil
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Basswood
Tilia americana
Basswood trees are large, fast-growing trees with dense foliage and a uniform round crown. By providing excellent shade, they lower our energy usage and provide shelter for wildlife.
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The beautiful, huge, heart-shaped leaves support 140 caterpillar species in Toronto. The most beautiful ones are the Eastern tiger swallowtail, the Luna moth, the mourning cloak, the Promethea silk moth and the Question mark butterfly. Abundant caterpillars are instrumental in stopping bird decline since they are the most essential food source for all migrating songbirds rearing their young. 98% of caterpillars become bird food; only 2% survive to become butterflies and moths.
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In midsummer, the bountiful yellow to cream-coloured flowers fill the air with their sweet fragrance and offer rich nectar to pollinators.
In the fall and winter, chipmunks, songbirds, and even foxes, among other wildlife, feed on their seeds.
Basswood trees like to grow with sugar maple, American beech, ash, shagbark hickory, and oaks. Great understory shrubs are common snowberry, serviceberry, viburnum, and American hazelnut. Wild ginger, Virgin's bower, spikenard, native Solomon's seal, and zigzag and blue-stemmed goldenrod are perfect groundcover plants.
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Large
Height: 60+ ft
Width: 30+ ft
Full sun to partial shade
Moist, well-drained​
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Silver Maple
(Acer saccharinum)
Silver maple is a large, fast-growing shade tree of great value to our native wildlife.
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Silver maple is among the very first trees to bloom in spring. Even though it is wind-pollinated, its pollen is vital for pollinators coming out of dormancy. The leaves feed almost 300 caterpillar species that supply ample food for breeding birds. The early-ripening seeds are eaten by finches, grosbeaks, wild turkeys, ducks, and various mammals. The twigs, buds, and bark become a lifesaving winter food source for small mammals and deer. Sliver maple sap, which is not as sweet as sugar maple sap, is dripping out of small injuries and is enjoyed by birds and small mammals in late winter.
Great understory trees are American elderberry, hazelnut, pagoda dogwood, and fragrant sumac.
Native Solomon's seal, Canada wild ginger, wild geranium, foamflower, wood asters, New England asters, grey goldenrod, blue stem goldenrod and zigzag goldenrod are perfect ground covers and pollinator plants underneath red maples.
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Silver maple is easy to establish since it is adaptable to a wide variety of soil conditions and will grow rapidly, providing great shade. It is a pioneer species and, therefore, requires full sun to very light shade. It has a beautiful shape. The silver-green leaves turn an attractive gold in the fall.
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Great companion trees for silver maple trees are ironwood, beech, basswood, white ash, black cherry, yellow birch, Eastern white pine, Northern red oak, and Eastern hemlock. Great understory trees are American elderberry, hazelnut, pagoda dogwood, and bush honeysuckle.
Native Solomon's seal, Canada wild ginger, wild geranium, foamflower, wood asters, New England aster, blue-stemmed goldenrod and zigzag goldenrod are perfect ground covers and pollinator plants underneath silver maples.
Height: 50+ ft
Width: 30+ ft
Requires full sun
Prefers moist, well-drained soil of any type
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Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
The Eastern White Pine is Ontario's iconic provincial tree. The tall trees are captured windswept in the paintings of the Group of Seven. It is a big shade tree that helps reduce energy consumption and cost as a windbreaker and shade tree.
Not noticeable at first glance, the tree has a high wildlife value since every part is edible- even for humans. Nuthatches, chickadees, grosbeaks, woodpeckers, and many other birds love the seeds. The buds, needles, bark, twigs and young cones help many animals get the nutrition they need during different seasons and to survive the winter. We can use ground pine needles in many recipes, raw or baked. The needles contain high amounts of Vitamin C and A. Indigenous peoples have used Eastern white pine to soothe the respiratory system as an effective medicinal plant. Its needles and resin have "anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, stimulating and relaxing, aromatic, pungent and stabilizing qualities, with particular benefits for the upper respiratory system, stomach, liver and kidneys. " Quote nelma.org.
Dense horizontal branching attracts small birds like warblers and purple finches, bigger birds like mourning doves, crows and blue jays, as well as great horned owls and red-tailed hawks to build their nests. Many birds collect young pine needles to cushion their nests.
Large
Height: 50 ft
Width 20 ft
Requires full sun to partial shade
Very adaptable to moist and medium soil moisture and all types of soil conditions
Sensitive to atmospheric pollution
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Common Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis
The hackberry tree is a large-sized tree that is only found across southern Ontario in Canada. It is very hardy and tolerant of urban conditions and can get 150-200 years old. Hackberry will grow as wide as tall, so ample space is needed. It is a great shade tree.
It produces single, dark purple fruits that hang below the leaves and persist into winter. Many birds will eat the fruit, including waxwings and robins.
The leaves are a food source for different species of butterflies, including the Morning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) and the Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis). The caterpillars of the Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton), Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis), and American Snout Butterfly (Libytheana carinenta) can only eat leaves from Hackberry trees. They rely entirely on Hackberry trees for their existence.
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Large
Height: 40 ft
Width 25 ft
Requires full sun to partial shade
Very adaptable to wet and dry and all types of soil conditions
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Serviceberry is an adaptable large shrub or small tree, depending on if it is pruned to a single-stem tree or left to form a multi-stemmed shrub.
Serviceberry trees provide very high ecological value for wildlife and are beautiful year-round.
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Serviceberry trees put on a show of white flowers in spring and provide an excellent early-season source of pollen and nectar. The open form of the flowers allows many different kinds of bees access to its nectar. The leaves support 100 different caterpillar species, including the caterpillars of the White admiral and the Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly. The small, round, sweet berries ripen in the summer. They are edible, super delicious and healthy, even in large quantities. They are a sought-after berry for over 40 species of birds, including orioles, bluebirds, cedar waxwings, scarlet tanagers, northern flickers, and robins, so we might not get too many. The tree produces more berries when it gets more sun.
In fall, the leaves turn into an array of stunning colours, from orange to purple and red.
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Height:15-25 ft
Width 15-25 ft
Very adaptable to full sun and shade
Moist to dry, well drained soil of various types
Pagoda Dogwood
Cornus alternifolia
Fragrant Sumach
Rhus aromatica
Pagoda dogwood is an attractive small understory tree or shrub, depending on if it is pruned to a single-stem tree or left to form a multi-stemmed shrub. It has clusters of white flowers in spring and provides an excellent early-season source of pollen and nectar. It allows specialist mining bees that depend on its specific pollen to reproduce, but it also allows a wide array of different species of bees access to its nectar through its open flower form. Pagoda dogwood feeds the caterpillars of the elegant Spring Azure butterfly as a host plant. The dark blue berries look stunning on their red stems, but they don't last long because they are a favourite of many fruit-eating birds, including cedar waxwings, juncos and cardinals.
The dark green leaves turn an attractive purple in the fall. The wide horizontal branches give this tree a distinct look. When loaded with snow, they create a winter wonderland.
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Pagoda dogwood provides very high ecological value for wildlife and is beautiful year-round.
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Height:15-25 ft
Width 15-30 ft
Very adaptable to full sun and partial sun
Prefers moist, well-drained soils, can tolerate dry sites
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Fragrant sumac is a sprawling, small to medium-sized shrub that can be used as a groundcover. When crushed, the foliage exudes a beautiful citrus scent. It grows best in fertile soil and full sun. However, it will tolerate dry or compacted soils, partial shade, and other urban conditions.
It is the host plant for the Red-banded hairstreak butterfly.
Only female plants produce dark-red berries that persist into the winter and are eaten by resident birds.
Deer do not like fragrant sumac.
The leaves have stunning fall colours with orange, red, purple, and yellow hues.
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Small
Height:3-5 ft
Width 6-12 ft
Very adaptable to full sun and partial sun
Moist well-drained to dry soils
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Chokecherry
Prunus viginiana
Chokecherry is a hardy, very easy to grow small understory tree or large shrub. In the wild, it grows under large trees like oaks and maples. Chokecherry is beautiful year-round.
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Showy white flower clusters offer nectar and pollen to early emerging mining bees in the spring. Being part of the prunus family, the leaves of chokeberry are food for caterpillars of hundreds of species of butterflies and moths. Some of the most iconic ones are the Easter tiger swallowtail butterfly, the Coral hairstreak butterfly, the Cecropia moth, the Promethean moth, and the Elegant sphinx. The berries first turn green, then red, and finally dark blue in the summer. They are a favourite of songbirds.
In fall, the leaves turn a vibrant red-purple colour.
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Small
Height: 8-25 ft
Width: 8-15 ft
Very adaptable to full sun and almost full shade
Dry to medium-moist, alkaline sand, loam, clay
Nannyberry
Viburnum lentago
Nannyberry is very easy to grow. It can make a great privacy hedge, by letting suckers grow, or it can be pruned back to a small tree. Nannyberry is beautiful year-round.
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Showy white flower clusters offer nectar and pollen to mining and sweat bees in the spring. The leaves are the larval food for the caterpillar of the Spring azur butterfly. The berries turn almost black in September and provide a consistent food source for birds into winter. The berries are also edible for humans right off the bush or can be used in jams and jellies.
In fall, the leaves glow in a rich burgundy colour. Next season's flower buds form early, so you must prune right after blooming.
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Small
Height: 10-20 ft
Width: 6-12 ft
Very adaptable to full sun and almost full shade
Moist well-drained soils
Common Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Common Elderberry, also known as American Elderberry, is a hardy, fast-growing shrub that can tolerate some air pollution.
Showy, big clusters of tiny white flowers bloom in July and attract small bees of different genera with their pollen. The fragrant flowers, once cooked, are incredibly delicious as fritters, syrup or jelly and reminiscent of lychee and pear. Plenty of berries ripen in August and turn black and sweet. Many birds devour the berries, including eastern bluebirds, northern cardinals, and cedar waxwings. Uncooked berries are toxic to humans. Once cooked, the berries are said to boost our immune system and are a treat as jellies or in pies. Many moth species can eat the leaves of this plant in their caterpillar stage, including the spectacular Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia), North America's largest moth!
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Height: 5-8+ ft
Width: 6-12 ft
Very adaptable to full sun and partial shade
Prefers acidic soil but can grow in moist, well-drained to dry soil of various types
How to Support Your Tree for best Growth and Health
All the offered trees and shrubs are quite easy to grow and are adapted to our climate and urban stresses. It is still important to find the right tree for your needs and the right location in your yard for your tree.
Finding the right spot
What should the purpose of your tree be?
Space, sun and moisture determine greatly which species can grow in a given spot.
Planting Your Tree
Trees and shrubs are best planted in fall. It is most important to loosen and open up the roots in the root ball. If they have grown in a circular motion they will stay that way but become bigger and eventually strangle the tree. By taking care while planting, you can significantly increase your tree's resilience, health and the age your tree can reach.
Caring for Your Tree
Deep Watering!
It is essential to help develop a healthy root system in the first years. Keep the hose close to the tree on a slow trickle for 15 minutes to allow the water to infiltrate deep into the soil. Then, move the hose and repeat three times so that all four corners are well watered. This will encourage the tree to develop a deep rather than a shallow root system which makes your tree more resilient to drought and storms.