Planting Our Roots - Free Tree Project

The City of Delta recognizes the important role trees play in our environment and the positive contributions they have on our health. Through the Planting Our Roots project, we aim to empower residents to have a direct impact by greening their surroundings with free trees for you to plant on private property. Supported by Delta Council in July 2023, this project is a key step towards achieving our ambitious goal of a 40% canopy cover, aligning with the Urban Forestry Strategy.

Our mission is to give away 500 trees to Delta residents—250 in the Spring and another 250 in the Fall. Now in our second year, we are committed not only to distributing these trees at no cost but also to educating our community on how to select, plant, and care for them, ensuring their healthy growth.

Reservation Form

We are now taking applications for our Planting Our Roots Project! Please complete the form below.

(Not including street type, e.g. Road, Way, Drive)
Street Type

Tree Selection

Please select your top five tree preferences from the list below. We will do our best to match you with your preferred trees, but availability may vary. If a tree you select is no longer available, you may be assigned a different tree that was not on your list. Thank you for your understanding.

Your preferences must include five different tree varieties (you may not select a variety more than once): 

Planting Acknowledgement

As a City Of Delta resident, I agree to plant my tree on my private property with care. I will water it regularly during the growing season and install mulch around its base to increase its health. I will prevent damage to it by keeping mowers and trimmers away from its trunk and I will prune it in keeping with best practices to promote a strong healthy canopy. I have read the Tree Owner's Manual. 

By submitting this form, you agree to receive email notification from City of Delta regarding “Planting Our Roots” program updates. You can unsubscribe at any time by contacting us at (604)-946-4141.

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How to Get Your Free Tree

Starting Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 10:00 am, residents will have the opportunity to complete the reservation form to request a tree. A total of 250 recipients will be randomly selected. Residents can indicate their top tree preferences on the form, and we will do our best to match them with their choices. However, due to availability, they should be prepared to receive a tree that may not be their top pick.

Eligibility Criteria

  • There is a limit of one (1) entry per household.
  • Residents who received a tree during the Planting Our Roots - Free Tree Giveaway in 2024 or spring of 2025 are not eligible to receive a tree in fall 2025.
  • To receive their tree, recipients must be residents of the City of Delta. Additionally, they must have ample space on their property to plant the tree. Verify your property lines by visiting DeltaMap.

Take Your Pick

Choose a tree that's right for you! Make sure to do your research beforehand to ensure your tree thrives in the correct environment.

Columnar Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

This narrow fastigiate form of this spruce is in high demand for urban and boundary plantings where strong vertical accents are desired; this selection grows quite quickly and withstands snow loads better than other columnar types.

Desert King Fig (Ficus carica)

An attractive, cool region variety producing especially sweet yellowish-green fruit with strawberry red flesh in mid-summer; better withstands late spring frosts; attracts birds; prune in late winter to maintain size and shape.

Evening Light Japanese Snowbell (Styrax japonicus)

An impressive small tree, featuring the most delicate white bell-shaped flowers hanging from graceful branches in early spring, contrasting maroon foliage; very attractive; needs moist, organic soil; better flowering and leaf color in sun.

Honeycrisp Apple (Malus 'Honeycrisp')

An exceedingly crisp hardy red apple with a sweet and juicy flavour, keeps extremely well; eating apples are high maintenance and need a second pollinator; the perfect combination of accent and fruit tree, needs well-drained soil and full sun.

Nootka Cypress (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis)

A tall, narrow evergreen with pendulous branches, giving an overall graceful appearance; one of the most common west coast trees, ideal for general landscape applications in moist, rainy locations, but very adaptable.

Saratoga Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba 'Saratoga')

A truly elegant variety with the most unique elongated pendulous leaves; stunning pyramidal form and consistent golden fall color, desireable males do not produce fruit; a great choice for home landscape use.

Royal Raindrops Flowering Crab (Malus 'JFS-KW5')

Bright pinkish red flowers combine with deep purple cutleaf foliage to present a stunning crabtree; excellent upright form, branching and density; demonstrates great resistance to the common diseases.

Ruby Red Horse Chestnut ((Aesculus x carnea 'Briotti')

A hybrid small tree with very prominent upright panicles of red flowers in spring; ideal for many landscape applications, makes a great accent tree for smaller landscapes; spiny seeds are few and far between for easier maintenance over other varieties.

Satsuki Beni Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Satsuki Beni’)

A larger growing Japanese maple that sports yellow-green leaves with red lobe tips in the spring, medium green leaves throughout summer, and a striking orange-red color in fall. Each leaf has a rounded shape with seven shallow serrate lobes.

Starlight Flowering Dogwood (Cornus 'KN4-43')

A heavily flowering hybrid with striking white blooms that cover it in spring, and foliage that changes to a rich red in the fall; vigorous grower with an erect habit and upright branches makes it a great choice for a front yard accent tree.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who to Contact

If you have questions about the Planting Our Roots project, please contact our Urban Forestry Department by calling 604-946-4141.