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North Carolina Tree of the Year

North Carolina Tree of the Year 2025

The North Carolina Arboretum has a proud history of promoting the importance of our native tree species. In our nearly 40 year history we have spotlighted the positive impacts trees have on everything from ecosystems to the economy. We build our homes from them, we breathe the oxygen they create, they provide food, and they are an irreplaceable feature of our beautiful state.

 

To continue this legacy, The North Carolina Arboretum is announcing a new initiative- the North Carolina Tree of the Year. We will celebrate this new endeavor at The North Carolina Arboretum’s Arbor Day Celebration on April 12. Our inaugural tree of the year is the white oak (Quercus alba).

 

Criteria for selecting a North Carolina Tree of the Year include:

  • Must be a tree that is native to North Carolina, and is suited to plant throughout the state;
  • Should be a tree that has cultural and/or natural significance within North Carolina;
  • Must be a species that is available commercially; and
  • The species must be reasonably easy to care for and maintain.

You will notice it is the white oak that adorns the Arboretum’s logo, and with good reason. White oak is widely recognized as one of the most important tree species in the Eastern United States. Its beautiful wood is prized by woodworkers for its strength and is a regular feature in fine furniture. The Cherokee use white oak to weave baskets that are unrivaled in their beauty and utility. Recent recognition of the white oak’s importance as a food source for caterpillars, and in turn the multitude of songbird species that consume them, solidifies the importance of this tree species. They are a veritable grocery store of the forest, producing acorns that provide important food for mammals and birds of all shapes and sizes, including black bears, wild turkey, blue jays, squirrels and whitetail deer. The acorns can be ground into flour for baking and even used in brewing beer.

 

We are happy to announce the white oak as the 2025 North Carolina Tree of the Year. This species has an important role to play in restoring Western North Carolina’s forests after the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene. Over 10,000 trees at The North Carolina Arboretum were lost, and white oak will feature prominently in the reforestation initiatives that we will be launching on our 434-acre campus and supporting similar efforts across the region in the coming months.

 

If you are interested in aiding in the recovery of our forests, be sure to consider the mighty white oak as a candidate for planting. Do ensure you are planting the right tree in the right place, however, as white oak trees require a fair amount of sunlight and a large space to grow. Together with white oaks we will steward our forests to add to the beautiful places we have grown to love.


 

 

This year the Arboretum will be celebrating the white oak with educational programming, community tree plantings and other activities. We invite you to join us! For more information on the North Carolina Tree of the Year program contact Jonathan Marchal, Director of Education, at jmarchal@ncarboretum.org.



North Carolina Tree of the Year 2025

The North Carolina Arboretum has a proud history of promoting the importance of our native tree species. In our nearly 40 year history we have spotlighted the positive impacts trees have on everything from ecosystems to the economy. We build our homes from them, we breathe the oxygen they create, they provide food, and they are an irreplaceable feature of our beautiful state.

 

To continue this legacy, The North Carolina Arboretum is announcing a new initiative- the North Carolina Tree of the Year. We will celebrate this new endeavor at The North Carolina Arboretum’s Arbor Day Celebration on April 12. Our inaugural tree of the year is the white oak (Quercus alba).

 

Criteria for selecting a North Carolina Tree of the Year include:

  • Must be a tree that is native to North Carolina, and is suited to plant throughout the state;
  • Should be a tree that has cultural and/or natural significance within North Carolina;
  • Must be a species that is available commercially; and
  • The species must be reasonably easy to care for and maintain.

You will notice it is the white oak that adorns the Arboretum’s logo, and with good reason. White oak is widely recognized as one of the most important tree species in the Eastern United States. Its beautiful wood is prized by woodworkers for its strength and is a regular feature in fine furniture. The Cherokee use white oak to weave baskets that are unrivaled in their beauty and utility. Recent recognition of the white oak’s importance as a food source for caterpillars, and in turn the multitude of songbird species that consume them, solidifies the importance of this tree species. They are a veritable grocery store of the forest, producing acorns that provide important food for mammals and birds of all shapes and sizes, including black bears, wild turkey, blue jays, squirrels and whitetail deer. The acorns can be ground into flour for baking and even used in brewing beer.

 

We are happy to announce the white oak as the 2025 North Carolina Tree of the Year. This species has an important role to play in restoring Western North Carolina’s forests after the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene. Over 10,000 trees at The North Carolina Arboretum were lost, and white oak will feature prominently in the reforestation initiatives that we will be launching on our 434-acre campus and supporting similar efforts across the region in the coming months.

 

If you are interested in aiding in the recovery of our forests, be sure to consider the mighty white oak as a candidate for planting. Do ensure you are planting the right tree in the right place, however, as white oak trees require a fair amount of sunlight and a large space to grow. Together with white oaks we will steward our forests to add to the beautiful places we have grown to love.


 

 

This year the Arboretum will be celebrating the white oak with educational programming, community tree plantings and other activities. We invite you to join us! For more information on the North Carolina Tree of the Year program contact Jonathan Marchal, Director of Education, at jmarchal@ncarboretum.org.