Canopy Connectors: Connecting Trees and People

All of the trees have homes. Please check back in 2022.

​Unity Church-Unitarian’s “Canopy Connectors” are offering 25 trees, for free, to homeowners in the Summit-University-Rondo neighborhood. The area is defined as that within the boundaries of University and Summit Avenues to the north and south, and Lexington Parkway and Marion Street to the west and east. We will help those adopting trees every step of the way, from arranging for utility lines to be marked in your yard, to planting your tree in the fall. Interested in caring for a free tree? Learn more about our trees, below, and then fill out the form to claim one for yourself.  

Our Trees

PLANETREE

SHADE TREE

Common name:  London Planetree
Botanical name: Platanus x acerifolia
Mature Height: 55-65 ft.
Mature Spread: 40-50 ft.
Exposure: Full sun
Bark Color/Texture: peeling, revealing a mottled pattern of green, tan and brown.
Ornamental Interest: large serrated lobed leaves turn coppery-bronze in fall. Mottled silver bark is extremely showy.

Pear 

FRUIT TREE

Common name: Patten Pear
Botanical name: Pyrus ‘Patten’
Mature height: 30 ft.
Mature spread: 25 ft.
Exposure: Full sun
Fruit: fruits are showy yellow with a red blush. Excellent for canning.
Ornamental interest: Patten Pear is drenched in stunning clusters of white flowers with purple anthers along the branches in mid-spring. It has dark green foliage throughout the season. Fall leaves turn an outstanding burgundy.
​Maintenance: self-pollinating, but regular maintenance required to produce a successful fruit yield. 

IRONWOOD

SHADE TREE

Common name: Ironwood
Botanical name: Ostrya virginiana
Mature height: 25-40 ft.
Mature spread: 15-35 ft.
Exposure: Full sun
Bark color/texture: gray brown bark and trunk are ornamentally attractive, forming long, vertical shredding strips.
Ornamental interest: fall color, persistent fruit, attractive bark.

Cherry

FRUIT TREE

​Common name: Rainier Sweet Cherry
Botanical name: Prunus Avium
Mature height: 20-30 ft.
Mature spread: 20-30 ft.
Exposure: Full sun
Fruit: this tree is most likely to be ornamental only, unless there is a sweet cherry of a different variety nearby.  
Ornamental interest: Gorgeous in spring with fragrant pink-white blooms. Fiery fall foliage display.
​Maintenance: not self-pollinating, needs a nearby cherry of a different variety. Additional maintenance is required to produce a successful fruit yield.

LILAC

SHADE TREE

Common name: Japanese Tree Lilac
Botanical name: Syringa reticulata
Mature height: 20-30 ft.
Mature spread: 15-25 ft.
Exposure: Full sun
Bark color/texture: reddish-brown, cherry-like bark with elongated lenticels.
Ornamental interest: fragrant flowers, showy fruit and flowers, and attractive bark.

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Canopy Connectors: Learn More