Raleigh's Tree of the Year Program

2026 Tree of the Year

Fun Fact about the White Ash:

 Baseball aficionados insist that the ‘crack-of-the-bat’ sound when a slugger smashes a home run is most satisfying when it rings out from a bat made of white ash. Tall, fast-growing, and a key species in the forests of the Northeast, this tree serves even greater purposes than contributing to America’s favorite pastime. A native tree of eastern North America, white ash grow in forests and open fields. They can reach heights of 80 feet with a crown that spreads 50 feet wide.

2025 Tree of the Year

2024 Tree of the Year

From the nominator:
This native flowering dogwood "Caroline" growing in Windemere Beaver Dam Park. Resides on Nottingham near Leonard and is a stunning tree when in full bloom.

2023 Tree of the Year

From the nominator:
Red lace-leaf Japanese Maple at the JC Raulston Arboretum. - Acer palmatum Dissectum Atropurpureum Group - This tree is the emblem of the JC Raulston Arboretum

2022 Tree of the Year

From the nominator:
Nestled between Park Shops and Page Hall on NC State’s campus, a ginkgo tree — lovingly dubbed “The Tree” by students — has captured the hearts of the Wolfpack with its magnificent fall transformation. (A tree with a cult following? Color us surprised.)