Arbor Day

April contains the holiday Arbor Day. During this holiday, we are supposed to celebrate the wonderful benefits our trees provide. There is no shortage of objectively great things our trees provide us, and they deserve to be celebrated.

One of the benefits trees provide to our neighborhoods and living spaces is, of course, shade. Before the widespread adoption of air conditioning, shade from landscape trees was the only escape from the hot summer sun. However, nowadays we expect the summer to be hotter and last longer as time goes on. This means a couple of things for your trees. First, well-established trees that have seen lots of our environmental extremes might succumb to the added stress of a prolonged summer. Secondly, trees that have grown well here in the past might start to struggle. If you would like to learn more about how environmental stress affects plants in the landscape, access the following link. Environmental Stress on Trees.pdf

Although these problems are present, they do offer you some opportunities right now. For example, you should plant a new tree. If you live in a house with a yard, the best time to plant a tree was 50 years ago, because you would now have sprawling shade from its developed branches. The second-best time to plant a tree is right now. Why? Because we have research that outlines the best trees to plant for long-term success. If you would like to see a comprehensive list reviewed by multiple experts, use the following link. Multistudio - The Tree List: Kansas City.

Planting trees the right way is the first step to ensure your tree’s longevity. There are many wrong ways to do it, which will hinder root development and overall tree health. For example, containerized trees can develop roots that have circled the trunk, forming a stem-girdling root. If those are not removed at the time of planting, you could see your tree lean and eventually become weak on one side. This problem will not go away on its own and can lead to an early tree death. For ensured success during the planting process, make sure you review the following link on correctly planting a tree. Ten rules for planting trees this spring

This Arbor Day, take a moment to appreciate the trees that already bring beauty and joy to your outdoor spaces, and consider planting one that will benefit generations to come.

by Markis Hill, Horticulture Turf and Ornamentals, April 2026