Get up to 7 free trees
City Plants Free Trees
by City Plants
- Los Angeles
- Free trees
Up to seven free shade trees delivered for private-property planting, plus a separate street-tree pathway.
What you can get
Eligible residents may receive up to seven free yard trees. Normal residential delivery focuses on water-efficient shade trees, which City Plants delivers for you to plant, along with starter supplies such as stakes, ties, and fertilizer pellets. Street-tree requests follow a different process: City Plants handles permitting and planting in the parkway. This is a free-product benefit, not a cash or rebate amount.
City Plants is a City of Los Angeles partnership that delivers up to seven free shade trees for residents to plant on private property. A street-tree pathway also exists for parkway planting, subject to neighborhood backlog and space. Geography is the City of Los Angeles, not a ZIP and not LADWP electric service. No dollar benefit is published; trees are provided at no charge. Apply through the official City Plants request portal.
Overview
City Plants provides free trees to eligible City of Los Angeles residents through several programs, including yard trees, street trees, and community adoption events. Eligibility is based on being in the City of Los Angeles, not simply living in Los Angeles County. A mailing address that says “Los Angeles” is not enough on its own.
Who may qualify
Not every requirement is listed here. Confirm the full rules with the program administrator.
Location / service area
Available in Los Angeles
How to apply
Start through City Plants. Confirm the property is in the City of Los Angeles—City Plants says an address lookup that returns a council district number means the property is in the city. Choose the relevant pathway: yard-tree delivery, street or parkway tree, or an adoption event. Provide the address, contact, and property information that pathway asks for, then follow its specific instructions.
Preapproval required
Documents you may need
Requirements vary by pathway. Adoption events may ask for proof of residency, such as a photo ID or an LADWP bill. Landlord, owner, or property-manager information or permission may be needed for some renter, apartment, HOA, or street-tree situations.
Important things to know
Program availability varies by tree type and request pathway. Apartment/HOA requests are currently paused, while other City Plants programs and adoption events remain available. An LA mailing address alone does not establish City of Los Angeles eligibility. Fruit trees are not generally part of normal shade-tree delivery and may only be offered at selected events. Adoption-event quantity limits can vary by event, so check the listing for that date. Do not assume renters are eligible in every pathway without owner or landlord conditions.
Last verified: Sep 10, 2026 · Confidence: High
Frequently asked questions
- Are City Plants trees really free?
- Yes. City Plants provides trees at no charge through its published programs. Yard trees are supplied and delivered at no cost, and street-tree permitting and planting are handled by City Plants.
- How many free trees can I get?
- Through the residential yard-tree pathway, Angelenos may receive a total of seven free yard trees to plant on private property, across yard-tree delivery or tree-adoption programs. Street-tree counts are determined separately by a City Plants inspector using City of Los Angeles tree-spacing guidelines. Adoption events can also set their own per-event limits, so check the specific event listing.
- Do I have to live in the City of Los Angeles?
- Yes. City Plants provides trees to residents living within the City of Los Angeles. A postal address that says “Los Angeles” can still be in unincorporated Los Angeles County. City Plants says an address lookup that returns a council district number means the property is in the city.
- Can renters get free trees from City Plants?
- Renters are not automatically excluded, but requirements vary by pathway. Official materials say people who live or own property in the City of Los Angeles may be eligible. For street trees, City Plants asks whether you are a homeowner or renter and recommends notifying the landlord or property owner; landlord contact information may be required. Apartment and HOA requests currently require owner, property-manager, or HOA-board permission and that pathway is paused.
- Do I have to be an LADWP customer?
- Published City Plants eligibility is framed around being in the City of Los Angeles, not around proving LADWP account status. LADWP is a funding partner and has supported City Plants tree planting since 1998. An LADWP bill can be used as proof of residency at some adoption events, but that is not the same as a universal utility-customer requirement.
- Will City Plants plant the tree for me?
- It depends on the pathway. Yard trees are delivered for you to plant. Street and parkway trees are planted by City Plants, which also handles the city permit process. You are expected to water and care for the tree after planting or delivery.
- Can I get a free street or parkway tree?
- Yes, through City Plants’ street-tree pathway. City Plants takes care of permitting and planting in the parkway—the strip between the sidewalk and the street. The inspector chooses the species based on surrounding infrastructure and city spacing guidelines, and some ZIP codes are currently listed as ineligible for that street-tree form. Renters should notify the property owner before applying.
- Can I choose what type of tree I receive?
- For yard trees, City Plants says you can choose from more than 30 water-efficient shade-tree species. For street and parkway trees, an inspector ultimately chooses the species. Recommendations are welcome, but City Plants cannot guarantee a preferred street-tree species.
- Can I get a fruit tree?
- City Plants only delivers shade trees through normal residential delivery. Fruit trees may be given away at some adoption events, typically in cooler months. Check the City Plants calendar for fruit-tree adoption listings rather than assuming fruit trees are part of every request.
- What proof or documents might I need?
- It depends on the pathway. Adoption events may require proof of City of Los Angeles residency, such as a photo ID or an LADWP bill. Street-tree and apartment/HOA pathways may ask for landlord, owner, or property-manager contact information or permission. Follow the instructions on the specific City Plants form or event listing.
- Are City Plants requests currently open?
- The general City Plants program remains active: yard-tree delivery, street-tree requests, and September 2026 adoption events are still being offered. The Apartment/HOA request pathway is currently paused while City Plants works through pending applications. Check City Plants for the latest status of that pathway.
Official sources
Not sure what you qualify for?
Check your eligibility. We’ll compare your answers with published program rules.
Eligibility is based on published program information and the details you provide. Program rules, funding and availability can change. Always confirm eligibility with the official program administrator.