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Trees Lexington's
Spring 2026 Giveaway
Saturday, March 28th
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Photos from Spring 2024 Giveaway
© Sally Lambert-Warfield
We are still inviting sponsors to participate in our most popular event! Email Amy to learn more.
Adopt a tree at our giveaway!
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Since 2019, our tree giveaways have distributed over 3,200 trees across Lexington! Our giveaways offer one (1) tree per address/household to be planted on private property. Please determine more than one species that would suit your site conditions, as we anticipate limited quantities of several species. We're excited to share hundreds of Kentucky native trees with the Lexington community!
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Trees adopted from our giveaways must be planted private property in Lexington. Why? Private property makes up over 70% of plantable space in Lexington. This includes privately owned residential, commercial, school or church/place of worship properties. Please only plant trees where you are authorized to do so. Individuals outside of Lexington or groups that plant in public spaces should reach out to our Operations Manager Amy Steele for information on our Tree Sales Program and explore purchasing trees for the next planting season (spring or fall).
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One tree per address/household.
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Mulch your tree to help retain moisture around the growing roots and protect the trunk from mower or string trimmer damage. We strongly recommend using arborist wood chips for mulching your tree. We will have some available at our event thanks to Dave Leonard Tree Specialists! Bring a yard waste bag or 5-gallon buckets for transporting the mulch home.
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Please commit to weekly watering at a minimum equivalent to 1" of rain (10 gallons) each week. This is vital to your trees ability to not just survive, but thrive. The first summer the tree is in the ground is the most critical, but it can take up to 5 years for trees to be well established.
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Know your site conditions so our arborists can help you choose the right tree for your space.
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Yes, the trees are free! This giveaway is funded by sponsors who believe in making the benefits of trees available to all of Lexington.
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Watch for follow-up surveys and participate. This information helps us collect useful data about tree survival rates, and when the trees we've distributed are factored in to tree canopy data for Lexington - that's when they're 15 feet tall!​
Sponsored by:
Thank you to Greyline Station for providing the space for community events like our Tree Giveaways!
Scroll through our LookBook
to see some of the tree species
we've distributed in the past!
Interested in giving trees to people all across Lexington? Consider sponsoring a Trees Lexington Giveaway!
Contact Operations Manager Amy Steele for more information!
Things to note:​
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Trees are available to residents of Lexington/Fayette County and must be planted on private property in Lexington/Fayette County.
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One (1) tree per address.
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Trees/species are in limited supply and will be given out on a first come, first served basis.
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All trees will be in two (2) or three (3) gallon containers with potting medium. We recommend bringing a towel or tarp to set under trees to protect your floorboard.
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Trees need both love and care, especially in the first few years of their establishment. Receiving one of these trees means you commit to keeping it watered (10 gallons/week or 1 inch of rainfall), mulched, and fertilized (if needed). We are available to help with questions related to tree care as they grow!
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Due to street tree species requirements set by the City of Lexington, we advise you to apply now for a permit with "acceptable species" indicated where prompted for species information. We suggest choosing 3 street tree friendly species you'd be happy with since our giveaway is first come, first served.
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You don't want to damage any underground utilities when you plant your tree. Call 811 or submit a request online to have your utilities marked before digging.
We recommend most of these trees for open front and/or back yards. Understory trees may require shade from an existing canopy tree.
Some tree species available are approved for street trees in Lexington, and require a permit from LFUCG's Urban Forester before planting. The process is simple! Browse the acceptable species and apply for a permit today!
Planting your new tree is easy-treezy with our planting guide! Click on the guide to review and print.
