Take Home A Tree For Arbor Day

Arbor Day Hawaii 2014 has assembled 2,700 trees and shrubs to give away, one per family, beginning at 7 a.m. Nov. 8, accompanied by advice from certified arborists and volunteers on proper care and the best place to plant them.

For West Oahu residents, the closest locations will be Kahe Power Plant near Kapolei (92-200 Farrington Hwy.) and Pearl City Urban Garden Center (955

Kamehameha Hwy.), which also will have a plant sale. Early arrival is recommended to be assured of the best choice. New varieties this year are Brazilian cherry, bridal bouquet plumeria, brown turkey fig, dwarf tiare, Lebronnecia, Thai chili pepper and violet trees.

Sponsored by Hawaiian Electric Co., the annual Arbor Day observance began on April 10, 1872, in Nebraska, where pioneering folks missed the shelter and shade of their trees at home, as well as their use as fuel and building materials on the prairie. An estimated one million trees were planted that day in Nebraska.

Other tree giveaway sites are at Wahiawa Botanical Garden, Waimea Valley, McKinley High School and HECO’s Ko’olau base yard in Kailua. For more information, visit arbordayhawaii.org.