The Oklahoma City Planning Department has prepared the second edition of "Putting Down Roots (PDF, 150 MB)," a 130-page guide for the selection, care and maintenance of trees in central Oklahoma. This free resource guide features full-color photos and information about more than 60 trees that are suitable for planting in the central Oklahoma region. The book also details information on about irrigation, soil characteristics, site selection, spacing, bloom schedules, pruning and pest control.
Find out where you can pick up a free copy of Putting Down Roots.
“We’ve lost thousands of trees over the past few years to tornados, ice storms and now pine wilt,” Oklahoma City Planner and primary book author Aubrey Hammontree said. “This guide will help home and business owners select appropriate tree species to replace the trees they lost.”
According to Hammontree, some of Oklahoma’s most knowledgeable tree experts collaborated on the revised book. Contributing authors included Dr. Lou Anella with Oklahoma State University (OSU), Urban Forestry Coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry Mark Bays, Oklahoma City Community Foundation’s Parks and Public Spaces program director Brian Dougherty, OSU-OKC’s Agriculture Technology Division Head Dave Edwards, Tinker Air Force Base’s Natural Resource Manager John Krupovage and OSU Extension Coordinator Ray Ridlen.
Publication of the guide was made possible by a grant from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the USDA Forest Service, with matching funds from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation and the City of Oklahoma City.
You can pick up your free book at libraries in the Metropolitan Library System until supplies last, or you can download the book here. (Adobe Acrobat format - 150MB)
The first edition of Putting Down Roots from 2003 is no longer in print, but is available to read online here.
Following the past ice storms, The Oklahoma City Planning Department has provided these tips for hiring an arborist and managing your damaged trees.