The city’s Trees for Neighborhoods program is down to two species of trees available for residents. The two types of trees are conifers; they have Austrian pine and Oriental spruce, both of which can grow up to 40-feet tall and 25-feet wide. The city recommends that the trees be planted in yards because they can get too large for sidewalks.
From the Trees for Neighborhoods program organizers:
The Austrian Pine is an attractive conifer with a broad, flat crown and a rough, short trunk with spreading branches. The tree’s dense shiny green foliage provide an excellent screen or windbreak in a yard. The Austrian Pine is also adaptable to a wide variety of urban conditions and soil types.
The Oriental Spruce is an pyramidal shaped conifer with shiny dark green foliage and purplish cones that stand out like berries. The tree can tolerate most soils, including gravelly soils.
Conifers provide a myriad of benefits to the City of Seattle including providing habitat for birds, stabilizing steep slopes, reducing surface run-off year-round, and even cutting energy costs by providing a natural windbreak in the winter and shade in the summer. Conifers also absorb more rainwater and filter more carbon dioxide than smaller deciduous trees.
To apply for the trees, click here for the Trees for Neighborhoods website. Eligible participants will receive free trees, watering bags, training on proper planting and maintenance, and opportunities for additional workshops such as young-tree pruning classes. Questions about the program can be directed to treesforneighborhoods@seattle.gov.
