The city of Rocky Mount Tree Advisory Board will be giving away free Southern Crab Apple tree seedlings at the drive-thru exit at the Business Services Center, located at 224 S Franklin Street, Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The tree giveaway event is Monday, March 1, 2021 from 8:30am to 5pm, and the limit is two trees per person — while supplies last.
The Southern Crab Apple is a small deciduous tree that grows 20 to 30 feet in height. The Southern Crab Apple tree also produces small, edible fruit (i.e., apples) about one inch in diameter that may be used for jelly, preserves, and cider.
Low-growing trees that are suitable for planting near power lines are given away each year to help keep Rocky Mount beautiful and to promote proper planting. Planting deciduous trees on the south and west sides of the home can also help save energy. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter, so they provide shade in the summer and allow sunlight to warm the home in the winter.
Before planting trees, residents are reminded to first call 811 at least three business days beforehand to have underground utilities located. Even when digging only a few inches, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists. 811 is the national call-before-you-dig number and is free of charge for all excavators.
For more information about the annual tree giveaway, call 252.467.4800.
The tree giveaway is open to anyone, no ID nor proof of residence required to receive a tree.
The city of Rocky Mount, located in the Coastal Plains of North Carolina, was incorporated in 1867 and lies in Edgecombe and Nash Counties. Rocky Mount is a two-time All-America City on the Tar River. For more information, visit www.rockymountnc.gov.
Source: Amy Blanton, Rocky Mount Department of Energy Resources
