Arbor Day Calendar by State and Date

Magnolia Tree
Haraldius/Wikimedia Commons/ (CC BY-SA 2.5)

Each state's Arbor Day celebration starts with the signing of an Arbor Day proclamation by local officials and Arbor Day activities related to trees and tree planting. Celebrations are held as early as January and February in some southern states and as late as May in northern locations. National Arbor Day is observed on the last Friday in April.

These dates were promulgated using a variety of special criteria. Politicians have grabbed dates out of thin air; a state's tree deemed to be of significant import use their date of legal "canonization," but most U.S. states opted for a reasonable date in spring. April was the choice for most as Arbor Day and May in colder latitudes.

National Arbor Day is on the last Friday of April and celebrated at the same time by 28 other states. You can find out when your state's Arbor Day is celebrated by reviewing the following calendar:

January Arbor Day Celebrations

  • Florida's Arbor Day: Third Friday in January (State Tree: Cabbage Palmetto)
  • Louisiana's Arbor Day: Third Friday in January (State Tree: Baldcypress)

February

  • Alabama's Arbor Day: Last full week in February (State Tree: Longleaf Pine)
  • Georgia's Arbor Day: Third Friday in February (State Tree: Live Oak)
  • Mississippi's Arbor Day: Second Friday in February (State Tree: Southern Magnolia)

March

  • Arkansas' Arbor Day: Third Monday in March (State Tree: Pine)
  • California's Arbor Day: March 7-14 (State Tree: California Redwood)
  • New Mexico's Arbor Day: Second Friday in March (State Tree: Piñon)
  • North Carolina's Arbor Day: The Friday after March 15 (State Tree: Pine)
  • Oklahoma's Arbor Day: Last full week in March (State Tree: Eastern Redbud)
  • Tennessee's Arbor Day: First Friday in March (State Tree: Yellow Poplar)

April

  • Arizona's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Paloverde)
  • Colorado's Arbor Day: Third Friday in April (State Tree: Blue Spruce)
  • Connecticut's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: White Oak)
  • Delaware's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: American Holly)
  • District of Columbia's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (District Tree: Scarlet Oak)
  • Idaho's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Western White Pine)
  • Illinois' Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: White Oak)
  • Indiana's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Tuliptree)
  • Iowa's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Oak)
  • Kansas' Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Cottonwood)
  • Kentucky's Arbor Day: First Friday in April (State Tree: Tulip Poplar)
  • Maryland's Arbor Day: First Wednesday in April (State Tree: White Oak)
  • Massachusetts' Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: American Elm)
  • Michigan's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Eastern White Pine)
  • Minnesota's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Red Pine)
  • Missouri's Arbor Day: First Friday in April (State Tree: Flowering Dogwood)
  • Montana's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Ponderosa Pine)
  • Nebraska's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Cottonwood)
  • Nevada's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Trees: Singleleaf Pinyon and Bristlecone Pine)
  • New Hampshire's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Paper Birch)
  • New Jersey's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Northern Red Oak)
  • New York's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Sugar Maple)
  • Ohio's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Ohio Buckeye)
  • Oregon's Arbor Day: First full week in April (State Tree: Douglas Fir)
  • Pennsylvania's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Eastern Hemlock)
  • Rhode Island's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Red Maple)
  • South Dakota's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: White Spruce)
  • Texas' Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Pecan)
  • Utah's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Blue Spruce)
  • Virginia's Arbor Day: Second Friday in April (State Tree: Flowering Dogwood)
  • Washington's Arbor Day: Second Wednesday in April (State Tree: Western Hemlock)
  • West Virginia's Arbor Day: Second Friday in April (State Tree: Sugar Maple)
  • Wisconsin's Arbor Day: Last Friday in April (State Tree: Sugar Maple)
  • Wyoming's Arbor Day: Last Monday in April (State Tree: Cottonwood

May

  • Alaska's Arbor Day: Third Monday in May (State Tree: Sitka Spruce)
  • Maine's Arbor Day: Third full week in May (State Tree: Eastern White Pine)
  • North Dakota's Arbor Day: First Friday in May (State Tree: American Elm)
  • Vermont's Arbor Day: First Friday in May (State Tree: Sugar Maple)

September

  • Virgin Islands' Arbor Day: Last Friday in September

November

  • Guam's Arbor Day: First Friday in November
  • Hawaii's Arbor Day: First Friday in November (State Tree: Kukui)

December

  • South Carolina's Arbor Day: First Friday in December (State Tree: Cabbage Palmetto)
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Your Citation
Nix, Steve. "Arbor Day Calendar by State and Date." ThoughtCo, Oct. 6, 2021, thoughtco.com/when-is-arbor-day-1341910. Nix, Steve. (2021, October 6). Arbor Day Calendar by State and Date. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/when-is-arbor-day-1341910 Nix, Steve. "Arbor Day Calendar by State and Date." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/when-is-arbor-day-1341910 (accessed March 28, 2024).