BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — City of Boca Raton residents can now apply to receive a free Florida shade tree delivered to their home through a residential tree drop-off program run in partnership with Community Greening.
The program is open to residents who live within the City of Boca Raton. Inventory is limited, and applications are now open.
Approved applicants may receive one free Florida shade tree in a 15-gallon container. The tree will be dropped off at the resident’s door. Residents are responsible for planting, care and maintenance after delivery.
The program is designed for trees to be planted in the ground at the Boca Raton address where the applicant lives. Front yards are preferred. Trees are not intended to stay in pots, since potted trees will not provide the same canopy and long-term benefits.
Applicants must live inside Boca Raton city limits and plant the tree at the address listed on the application. Residents also must have permission from the property owner before adding a new tree. Once the tree is delivered, the applicant assumes responsibility for it, including planting, upkeep and any related risk.
Residents who receive a tree also agree to complete a short follow-up questionnaire and submit a photo of the planted tree.
Community Greening said a variety of Florida shade trees will be available so residents can choose the right tree for the right place on their property. The trees come in 15-gallon containers and are expected to be about 5 to 12 feet tall when planted, depending on the species.
The tree drop-off program is one of several sustainability-focused efforts being promoted in Boca Raton this month.
The City of Boca Raton and the University of Florida are also hosting a Sustainable Yard Series program on Tuesday, May 26, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Spanish River Library, 1501 Spanish River Boulevard.
That session will focus on composting. The program, titled “Composting: Creating Your Own Black Gold,” is intended for residents who want to make their yards more wildlife friendly, lower maintenance and more native, but are not sure where to start.
The composting session will cover ways to turn yard and kitchen waste into nutrient-rich organic matter for landscaping and gardens. The program also frames composting as a way to keep nutrients in local landscapes while reducing the amount of material that gets trucked away.
A separate event, “Heat Health: How Florida’s Weather Impacts the Human Body,” is scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Spanish River Library.
That free event will feature Dr. Georgia Christakis and the City of Boca Raton Office of Sustainability. The program will look at how heat and other environmental factors affect human health, including impacts on children, pregnancy, chronic conditions and outdoor safety.
The heat health program will also cover practical steps residents can take to stay healthy and support a cooler, more resilient Boca Raton.
Residents interested in the tree drop-off program can learn more through Community Greening. Registration information for the Sustainable Yard Series and the Heat Health event is available through the City of Boca Raton’s sustainability programming pages.
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