Thank you for ordering from our 2025 tree sale!
Thanks to everyone who bought trees for the 2025 tree sale. Save your order confirmation email and bring it with you to the tree pickup and tree planting demonstration event on Saturday, November 1, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
The 2025 fall sale began in early September. Orders ended October 15. The Allies will pick up orders from the tree nursery in Hendricks County and distribute them to purchasers at a special event on Saturday, November 1, that will also have demonstrated tree plantings, educational handouts, and more.
Email treeallies@clermont.in.gov with any questions.
Tree Species Information
Sixteen species of trees were available for the 2025 sale.
Notable Facts
- Oak trees provide the most value to wildlife and are some of the longest-living trees, usually living for at least 100 years. White oaks live 200 years on average!
- Several of these trees offer food you can eat! Check out the northern pecan (nuts), Allegheny serviceberry (berries), spicebush (berries), and paw paw (banana-like fruit).
- The bald cypress is an evergreen that loses its needles every winter! Select it for the sides of your house facing the sun to save on cooling costs in the summer and help keep your home warmer in the winter when its needles fall and allow sunlight to hit your home.
SHADE TREES
EVERGREEN TREES
"BUSH-LIKE" TREES
SMALL TREES
| Name (photos) | Cost (Height at Purchase) | Notes | Size | Growth Rate | Max Height | Max Width | Sunlight | Soil (Wet, Moist, Medium) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Allegheny Serviceberry  | $32 (4-5 ft) | White flowers March-May. Good fall color. Red berries are edible. | Small | Medium | 15-25 ft | 15-25 ft |
Full sun, part shade | Medium |
American Bladdernut | $32 (2-3 ft) | Tubular white flowers April-May. Large shrub, may form thickets. Bladder-like fruits in August. | Small | Fast | 10-15 ft | 10-15 ft |
Part shade, full shade | Medium, moist |
American Hornbeam | $50 (6-7 ft) | Gold yellow catkins in spring. Good fall color. Needs watering in dry spells. Good for rain gardens. Average life: 100 years. | Medium | Slow | 20-35 ft | 20-35 ft | Part shade, full shade | Medium, moist |
Bald Cypress | $32 (3-4 ft) | Deciduous conifer. May form "knees," so don't plant near driveways or other structures. Average life: 250 years. | Large | Medium | 70-100 ft | 20-45 ft | Full sun, part shade | Medium, wet |
Black Gum | $32 (3-4 ft) | Greenish white April-June. Nice fall color. Good shade tree. Needs sheltered site. Average life: 110 years. | Medium | Slow | 40-50 ft | 20-30 ft |
Full sun, part shade |
Medium, wet (prefers acidic) |
Canadian Hemlock | $32 (2-3 ft) | Evergreen. Needs sheltered position and susceptible to deer browse. Average life: 200 years. | Large | Medium | 40-70 ft | 25-35 ft |
Full sun, part shade, full shade | Medium, moist (prefers acidic and well-drained) |
Cherrybark Oak | $32 (4-5 ft) | High wildlife value. Average life: 140 years. | Large | Fast | 90-130 ft | 30-70 ft |
Full sun, part shade | Medium, moist (prefers well-drained) |
Cucumber Magnolia | $32 (2-3 ft) | Fragrant greenish yellow blooms in late spring. Cucumber-like fruits turn red in late summer. Gold fall color. May take 10-12 years to bloom. Average life: 80 years. | Large | Medium | 40-70 ft | 20-35 ft |
Full sun, part shade | Medium, moist |
Dwarf Chinquapin Oak | $32 (2-3 ft) | Catkins in spring. Produce acorns after four years. Drought tolerant. High wildlife value. | Small | Slow | 10-20 ft | 10-20 ft | Full sun | Medium (prefers well-drained) |
Northern Pecan | $32 (2-3 ft) | Wind-pollinated. Deep rooted, so drought tolerant once established. Need more than one to produce nuts. Nut production begins after six years old. Average life: 120 years. | Large | Medium | 70-100 ft | 40-70 ft | Full sun | Medium (prefers slightly acidic and well-drained) |
Northern White Cedar | $32 (2-3 ft) | Evergreen. Small oblong cones in spring. Needs sheltered position. Susceptible to deer browse. Average life: 300 years. | Medium | Fast | 20-40 ft | 10-15 ft |
Full sun, part shade | Medium, moist |
Paw Paw | $32 (1-2 ft) | Maroon flowers April-May. Can form colonies. Fruits are sweet and edible. | Small | Slow | 15-30 ft | 15-30 ft |
Full sun, full shade | Medium, wet |
Red Osier Dogwood | $32 (2-3 ft) | White flowers March-May. Shrub with white berries and bright red stems. Winter and wildlife interest. | Small | Fast | 6-9 ft | 7-10 ft |
Full sun, part shade | Medium, wet |
Spicebush | $32 (2-3 ft) | Yellow flowers February-March. Shrub-like. Red berries. Aromatic leaves. | Small | Medium | 6-14 ft | 6-12 ft | Part shade, full shade | Medium, wet |
White Oak | $50 (5-6 ft) | Yellow green catkins in spring. Large shade tree. Leaves do not drop until mid-winter. High wildlife value. Average life: 200 years. | Large | Slow | 60-100 ft | 50-90 ft | Full sun | Medium, moist (prefers acidic and well-drained) |
Witchhazel | $32 (2-3 ft) | Fragrant yellow blooms late fall-late winter. Shrub-like or small tree with yellow fall color. Ideal for winter garden. Drought intolerant. | Small | Medium | 15-20 ft | 15-20 ft |
Full sun, part shade | Medium, moist (prefers acidic) |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which tree should I pick?
Email treeallies@clermont.in.gov if you are not sure and want an opinion.
Things to Consider
- The future: Most trees can live for decades and even hundreds of years! Think about what makes sense for your property in the short term but also 50 years from now. Future residents will appreciate your thoughtfulness!
- Where the tree will go: Locate a tree in the right soil and sunlight conditions (see species chart) for its best chance to grow strong and healthy. Also keep in mind the potential height and width of the tree when it is full grown so you do not put the tree at risk of being trimmed too harshly. Note: The heights and widths for each species are under ideal conditions. Competition from other trees will affect growing habits.
- Why you are buying the tree: Trees have many benefits. Are you buying a tree for its flowers in the spring? For its edible fruits or nuts? For the wildlife habitat it provides? For the heating and cooling effects that can save you energy costs? For sheer beauty?
- How do I plant a tree?
Just dig a hole and throw it in there? Well, not quite!
A shovel is likely all you need, and it should only take you 15 minutes to plant a tree if the ground is easy to work, but there are several things to keep in mind:
- Create a hole wide enough and deep enough for the new tree's roots to have space to grow properly.
- Make sure the new tree's trunk is straight (vertical). Walk around it to make sure it's straight from every angle.
- The tree's trunk has a flare toward its base, which is the biggest root. This flare should be above the soil when planted.
- When backfilling soil to close the hole, be sure to compress it somewhat (step around it) and water the soil thoroughly!
Check out the resources below (including a video) on how to plant a tree right.
Tree Planting and Mulching
- Proper Tree Planting
- How to Plant a Tree (video by Keep Indianapolis Beautiful)
- How to Plant a Tree - Coniferous (infographic)
- How to Plant a Tree - Deciduous (infographic)
- How to Mulch a Tree (infographic)
- Proper Mulching
- Why are the trees so small?
The trees offered in this sale are relatively small (generally between 2 and 5 feet). There are good reasons for this. Perhaps one of the most important is an increased chance of survival! The larger a tree is when it is dug up and replanted, the greater the risk that the tree could fail. Transplanting can be stressful for trees. As they age, their root systems develop structure and get larger (naturally). When a tree is dug up, oftentimes a portion of the roots is removed to allow the tree to be transported more easily. If not done properly, the removal of roots can be excessive and the remaining roots may have a hard time sustaining all the growth that has been built over time.
Benefits of Planting a Tree While Small
- Easier to plant (smaller hole, less effect on other plants)
- Increased chance of survival
- Shorter time for the tree to establish itself and start adding above-ground growth
- Roots have not had time to develop issues such as encircling (girdling) roots
- Lower cost
- How were the tree species selected?
All species offered in this sale are natives, which means they developed naturally in the North American ecosystem over many years. Native trees are the most well-suited for survival in this area and will provide the most benefits for the environment.
- Is the fall a good time to plant trees?
Trees can be planted almost any time of year, but the fall is the perfect time to plant trees! The trees stop their growth cycle and begin their process of "hibernation" before winter arrives. The sun is less harsh in fall, and so the trees need less watering as they go dormant for the winter.
Just be sure to get the trees in the ground before it freezes for the winter.
- Why should I plant a tree at all?
Remember that trees are not just for your own enjoyment — they are for everyone, including people who will live in Clermont in the future! Even if you will be moving in a few years, the trees will stay and benefit the next person and the neighborhood overall for many years.
They say the best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago; the next best time is now.
- Do I need to stake the tree?
Probably not. Staking is generally unnecessary unless conditions are extremely windy or the tree is unable to stay upright on its own (possibly a sign the tree was planted too shallow). Trees are smart and their roots will grow properly to compensate for windy conditions. If you decide to stake your tree, make sure that nothing is rubbing or scratching the tree's bark to damage it, and remove the staking within a year or two. There is no need for the tree to be staked after its roots have established themselves after a couple years.
- Do I need to protect the trunk?
It depends.
If your tree is in a fenced area where there is low likelihood of animals damaging its bark, you may not need to protect it.
If your tree is "free range" and rabbits, squirrels, or deer are likely to try to nibble at it, you may want to purchase a trunk guard and use it for a few years until the tree is about 5-6 feet tall. At that point, a tree should be strong enough to recover from any minor damage that would be caused by animals.
Caution: Weed eaters are a young tree's worst enemy! If you will be weed eating close to your tree, get a trunk guard to protect it from yourself!