2026 Groves of Gratitude Contents
(orders open 10/12 - 10/23)

***ONLY FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS OUTSIDE OF ANNAPOLIS CITY LIMITS***

Are you a resident of City of Annapolis? Learn more here.

Frequently asked Questions:

• What is available and how do I know what plants are best for my area?

  • To see the site requirements and species descriptions for each plant, see the Groves Descriptions & Site Requirements section at the bottom of this page.

• What is the cost?

  • All single trees are $25 a tree

  • Anne Arundel County residents: $65 per Grove

  • Deer guards will be sold separately for $5 each

  • If the program’s suggested donation is a barrier to you or your community, please reach out to andrea@aawsa.org to learn how to receive trees for free  

• What comes with my order?

  • Potted plants in 1-5 gallon containers; approximately 1-6 feet tall upon planting

  • Bagged mulch

  • Instructions for tree planting and care

• What are deer guards?

  • Deer guards protect trees and shrubs from deer browse and buck rub. Deer guards can be plastic mesh tubes that fit around the trunk, or wire mesh cages that encircle the entire plant. Deer guards are $5 for a single tree, and will also come with a wooden stake and zip ties, for attaching the deer guard to the ground. WSA recommends deer protection for each tree in high deer-pressure areas.

• When and where do I pick up my order?

  • Anne Arundel County Resident Orders

    • Dates & Time

      • Monday, November 9th | 4pm - 6:30pm

      • Tuesday, November 10th | 4pm - 6:30pm

      • Thursday, November 12th | 4pm - 6:30pm

    • Location

      • Nonprofit Center, 41 Community Place, Crownsville, MD

Groves Descriptions & Site Requirements

Groves for Anne Arundel County Residents

SCREENING GROVE

Suggested Donation: $65, includes 3 Eastern red cedar, 2 Wax myrtle, and 3 bags of mulch.

wax myrtle (morella cerifera)

Mature Height: 10-20’
Mature Spread: 8-15'
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part sun
Moisture Requirements: Moist to wet
Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand 
Seasonality: Evergreen, greenish-yellow catkins from February-May. Berry fruits develop June-August, and ripen September-November just in time for migrating birds.
Fun fact: Also known as "southern bayberry," the tree's berries used to be boiled to extract a fragrant wax for making bayberry candles

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Mature Height: 30-65'
Mature Spread: 8-25'
Sun Requirements: Full sun
Moisture Requirements: Dry to moist
Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand 
Seasonality: Evergreen, non-showy blooms in March-April. Fruits in September-December, blue-green to bluish-purple berry-like cones
Fun fact: This tough evergreen provides year-round shelter for birds and berries that feed wildlife in winter

legacy grove

Suggested Donation: $65, includes 1 Bur oak, 1 Red maple, 2 Chinkapin oak, and 3 bags of mulch.

Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)

Mature Height: 50-80'
Mature Spread: 40-80'
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Moisture Requirements: Moist
Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
Seasonality: Yellow to yellow-brown leaves in fall. Flowers in April-May, yellow-green color. Fruits in September-October, large brown acorn with fringed cap.
Fun fact: This oak grows some of the biggest acorns of any North American oak, providing great food for squirrels, deer, and turkeys. It is a hardy oak and can tolerate drought conditions.

RED MAPLE (ACER RUBRUM)

Mature Height: 40-70’
Mature Spread: 30-50'
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part sun
Moisture Requirements: Moist to wet
Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
Seasonality: Scarlet to crimson red leaves in fall. Red small flowers in February-March, with winged 'helicopter' seed pairs in April-June.
Fun fact: This tree lives up to its name as everything is red - its flowers, 'helicopter' seeds, twigs, and autumn leaves

chinkapin oak (quercus muehlenbergii)

Mature Height: 40-80'
Mature Spread: 40-80'
Sun Requirements: Full sun
Moisture Requirements: Dry to moist
Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
Seasonality: Yellow, orange-brown leaves in fall. Leaves emerge in the spring a reddish-green before maturing to a dark green, flowers grow in April-June, with acorns occurring every two years
Fun fact: This oak produces exceptionally sweet acorns that can be eaten raw or roasted

edible grove

Suggested Donation: $65, includes 2 Alleghney serviceberry, 1 American plum, 2 Black chokeberry, and 3 bags of mulch.

Allegheny serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis)

Mature Height: 15-40’
Mature Spread: 15-20'
Sun Requirements: Full sun to full shade
Moisture Requirements: Moist to wet
Soil Type: Loam, sand
Seasonality: Red leaves in fall. Flowers in early spring (March-April), white and showy. Fruits in June-July, small, dark purple to black berries.
Fun fact: This tree feeds birds, bees, and even people who enjoy the sweet fruit. Once ripened, the fruits are edible and taste similar to blueberries.

American Plum (Prunus americana)

Mature Height: 15-25'
Mature Spread: 15-25'
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Moisture Requirements: Moist
Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
Seasonality: Yellow to reddish-purple leaves in fall. Flowers in March-May, white and fragrant. Fruits in July-September, round red to yellowish-red drupe.
Fun fact: The showy white flowers mature into plums in mid-summer. The fruits can be eaten raw, but are also popularly used in jams, jellies, and preserves.

Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)

Mature Height: 4-6'
Mature Spread: 3-6'
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Moisture Requirements: Moist to wet
Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
Seasonality: Bright red to reddish-purple leaves in fall. Flowers in April-May, white and showy in clusters. Fruits in August-September, small black berries.
Fun fact: The dark fruits typically persist on the shrub throughout the fall and winter, providing a great food source for overwintering birds. For humans, it is recommended to cook the berries to remove their astringent taste and reveal the sweet and sour flavors.

pollinator grove

Suggested Donation: $65, includes 2 Summersweet, 2 American beautyberry, 1 Eastern redbud, and 3 bags of mulch.

summersweet (clethra alnifolia)

Mature Height: 3-8’
Mature Spread: 3=4-6’
Sun Requirements:  Full to part sun
Moisture Requirements: Moist to wet
Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
Seasonality: Leaves turn different shades of yellow in fall. Produces upright bottlebrush-like spikes of fragrant white or pink flowers over the summer months
Fun fact: Nicknamed "sailors delight" this shrub's potent, spicy-sweet fragrance could be recognized from across the water before sailors could even see land.

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana)

Mature Height: 3-6’
Mature Spread: 3-6’
Sun Requirements:  Full to part sun
Moisture Requirements: Dry to moist
Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
Seasonality: Leaves turn yellow-green to yellow in fall. Flowers in May-July, small pink to lavender clustered in leaf axils. Fruits in August-October, bright purple (occasionally white) berry-like drupes clustered around the stem.
Fun fact: Clusters of purple berries form on the stems in the fall that attract many bird species, particularly cardinals. It will tolerate light shade.

eastern redbud (cercis canadensis)

Mature Height: 20’-35’
Mature Spread: 20’-35’
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Moisture Requirements: Dry to moist
Soil Type: Loam, sand
Seasonality: Yellow leaves in fall. Flowers in March–April, bright pink to magenta, appearing before leaves. Fruits in August–October, flat brown pods.
Fun fact: One of a few trees whose flowers bloom before the leaves appear in the springtime. Its flowers are also edible and have a slightly sour, citrusy taste.

Single Trees for Anne Arundel County REsidents

Atlantic White Cedar

Suggested Donation: $25, includes 1 Atlantic white cedar and 1 bag of mulch.

Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides)

Mature Height: 40-70'
Mature Spread: 20-50'
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Moisture Requirements: Wet
Soil Type: Sand, loam
Seasonality: Evergreen, scale-like and bluish-green. Flowers in April-May, small and non-showy. Fruits in September-November, small woody cones that release seeds when mature.
Fun fact: This tree grows in swamps and wet forests and is great for wildlife habitat.

Black Gum

Suggested Donation: $25, includes 1 Black gum and 1 bag of mulch.

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)

Mature Height: 30'-80'
Mature Spread: 30'-50'
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Moisture Requirements: Dry, moist, or wet
Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
Seasonality: Vibrant red to purple-red leaves in fall. Flowers in April-May, small and greenish-yellow. Fruits in September-November, dark blue to black berries.
Fun fact: This tree has some of the most stunning fall color with bright red to purple leaves. The small fruits feed birds like robins and woodpeckers, and its flowers are great for bees.

EASTERN REDBUD

Suggested Donation: $25, includes 1 Eastern redbud and 1 bag of mulch.

eastern redbud (cercis canadensis)

Mature Height: 20’-35’
Mature Spread: 20’-35’
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Moisture Requirements: Dry to moist
Soil Type: Loam, sand
Seasonality: Yellow leaves in fall. Flowers in March–April, bright pink to magenta, appearing before leaves. Fruits in August–October, flat brown pods.
Fun fact: One of a few trees whose flowers bloom before the leaves appear in the springtime. Its flowers are also edible and have a slightly sour, citrusy taste.

LOBLOLLY PINE

Suggested Donation: $25, includes 1 Loblolly pine and 1 bag of mulch.

Loblolly pine (pinus taeda)

Mature Height: 60-100’
Mature Spread: 25-35’
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part sun
Moisture Requirements: Moist
Soil Type: Loam, sand
Seasonality: Older needles and cones may drop in fall. Produces annual cones March-April as well as needle lengthening
Fun fact: As this pine tree matures, it is known to 'self-prune' by dropping lower branches that have sunlight blocked from the upper canopy as a way to save energy and resources

white oak

Suggested Donation: $25, includes 1 White oak and 1 bag of mulch.

wHite Oak (Quercus Alba)

Mature Height: 50-100’ (up to 150’)
Mature Spread: 50-80’
Sun Requirements: Full to part shade
Moisture Requirements: Dry to moist
Soil Type: Loam, sand
Seasonality: Deep red to purple-red leaves in fall. Flowers in March-May, yellow-green color. Fruits in September-October, brown nut/nut-like acorns
Fun fact: This is one of the most beneficial trees you can plant for wildlife as it provides habitat for caterpillars, birds, deer, and small mammals. This is also Maryland's state tree.

Don’t need trees but want to
support this program?

To stay informed about this Program, email replant@aawsa.org
to be added to our 2027 Groves of Gratitude email list.