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Tree Rebate

Tree Rebates

Thinking about starting a turf replacement project? You can now receive a $100 rebate per tree for up to five trees planted while you replace your grass with a beautiful California Friendly® landscape. ‍

Rebate Requirements

‍A tree is defined as a woody perennial plant with many secondary branches supported above the ground by one main stem or trunk.

  • Trees must be planted within the turf replacement project area.
  • Trees must be a minimum size of 15 gallons when purchased and planted.
  • Trees are expected to grow to at least 15-feet tall and 10-feet wide at maturity. This does not apply to edible fruit trees.
  • Fruit trees will only be rebated for residential properties, not commercial.

Visit SoCalWater$mart for information on how to apply.

Top Trees to Plant

Small Trees

Western Redbud

Bubba Desert Willow

Chitalpa

Desert Museum
Palo Verde

Blue Elderberry

Toyon

Medium Trees

Hollyleaf Cherry

Tecate Cypress

SoCal Black Walnut

California Bay Laurel

Large Trees

Incense Cedar

Coast Live Oak

Engelmann Oak

California Sycamore

Other Trees to Consider

Torrey Pine

California Ash

Island Ceanothus

Catalina Cherry

Special acknowledgment to the California Native Plant Society and the Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute at Cal Poly for their contributions.

What Not to Plant

Certain trees need a lot of water. Others are vulnerable to disease or pests, and some are not ideal for fire hazard severity zones. Here’s a list of what not to plant.

  • Woody plants like tree-looking shrubs used to create hedges around a property.
  • Plants bred or pruned to maintain a reduced canopy. These plants are commonly called topiary, espaliered, pollarded trees or shrubs.
  • Small weeping varieties with soft branches hanging downward and touching the ground.
  • Trees without spreading canopies that do not provide substantial shade or shelter when fully grown.
  • All invasive tree species listed by the California Invasive Plant Council at cal-ipc.org.
  • All palm varieties.

Trees to Avoid

‍Disease & Pest Prone

  • American Sweetgum
  • Box Elder

‍High Water Use

  • Mulberry
  • Coast Redwood
  • Fremont Cottonwood
  • European White Birch

‍High Fire Risk

Avoid these types of trees if you are in a fire hazard severity zone.

  • Pine
  • Eucalyptus
  • Juniper
  • Cypress
  • Palms

Resources

How to Care for Your Trees
Top Trees for Your Waterwise Garden

Special acknowledgment to TreePeople for their contributions.

California Friendly® registered trademark of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.Many of the flower and garden images are courtesy of the Theodore Payne Foundation.