One of our favorite days to celebrate and remember is Earth Day (it is April 22^nd, by the way so don’t forgot to celebrate in your own way). It is like the holiday was made for us!

From the coasts of California to the Gulf of Mexico, we have been planting more trees than anybody else over the last 25 years. And we will keep planting them for years to come and growing into new territories.

Since 2010 alone, we have planted over 1.7 million trees!

Earth Day lands in a great time of year to help educate and inform people about the benefits of all the different types of trees. It is also a great time to plant trees!

With the weather we experience in early spring, our soil is warm and prepped for new trees. This helps acclimate newly transplanted trees quickly, which lessens any potential for transplant shock. The mild warm temperatures also create the perfect environment for your trees to get used to their new home and be prepared for the summer.

To celebrate Earth Day, we want to spotlight some of our favorite trees that do best when planted this time of year and that can transform your landscape in one day. Some of these are even exclusive only to Moon Valley. Keep reading to pick out your next tree!

Which Trees Will Transform My Yard this Summer?

Piru Queen Palm

The Piru Queen Palm is one of our most popular palms in Arizona. The Piru Queen was custom-made by Moon Valley Nurseries to be a stronger variety of other queen palm types. The difference is clearly obvious to Arizona residents because you guys are always asking for them!

Our Piru Queen Palms feature thicker and hardier trunks, which helps keep the entire palm stronger and healthier. The Piru Queen also has denser and greener fronds than other queen varieties, and produce fuller crowns, which helps create a more formal look and even more shade!  

Moon Valley Nurseries Piru Queen Palms can handle hot summers, cold winters, and windy days. This palm is supported by a narrow trunk, which makes it ideal to plant in tight spaces. It can grow as tall as a two-story home and looks great paired with smaller palms beside it such as the Sago Palm, Pygmy Palm, and Pindo Palm.

Purple Leaf Plum

The Purple Leaf Plum tree is one of our favorite flowering trees and right now is the best time to see them at their best! This tree produces a wealth of showy pink flowers in spring but can start to bloom sooner and last longer, depending on the weather.

And the color does not end there!

This remarkable tree also features exceptional dark purple foliage. Between the flowering season it has in the beginning of the year and beautiful purple foliage in the fall, this tree is the ultimate ornamental tree.

We recommend planting them in front yards, where they are sure to attract all the right attention from neighbors. We often plant them in pairs or more to line borders, gateways, and driveway entries in a colorful style.

They can also be planted in an orchard-like row to create a stunning privacy screen. These ornamental trees can make a bold and beautiful color statement no matter how you choose to plant them!

Ficus Nitida

The Ficus Nitida, also commonly known as the Indian Laurel, is a beautiful dense shade tree that looks amazing and can be used in almost any landscape style and match any home.

The Ficus Nitida tree can handle the most intense summer heat and even grow healthy and strong in Yuma, one of the hottest cities in the hottest state (even if it’s just a dry heat).

Because of its durability, beauty and massive amount of shade it provides, the Ficus Nitida has become our top selling tree in Arizona and other southwestern states. People are always talking about our Ficus!

Ficus columns, when planted in rows, make great hedges that are commonly used as a privacy screen. They can block unwanted views, nosy neighbors, and even flying objects - like golf balls from your friendly weekend golfer or baseballs from your young neighbors. 

Multi-trunk Ficus Nitida trees provide a wide umbrella of shade. Because of their unique trunk variations, this variety adds an artistic flair and can make a great tree for the kids to climb.

Evergreen Ash

Many people call this the Evergreen Ash tree and others call it the Shamel tree. Regardless of what your preferred name is, we all agree that this is a beautiful tree that stands out in a landscape.

The Evergreen Ash is a favorite waterwise, fast-growing shade tree perfect for just about any landscape in Arizona. A native to Mexico, this sun-loving tree can grow up to 40-feet tall and wide in just a couple of decades.

This tree will easily grow into a large canopy that provides a generous amount of shade. Simple to grow, this Ash is generally grown in parks, commercial areas, and can be seen adorning large landscapes or planted as a large ornamental tree in medium-sized yards.

At Moon Valley Nurseries, we created a better version of the Evergreen Ash strain. Our Evergreen Ash is stronger, more reliable, and more evergreen than other strains you find elsewhere.  

Crape Myrtle

The Crape Myrtle is our favorite tree to add color to a landscape and it is the number one selling flowering tree at Moon Valley Nurseries due to its ability to offer something for every season.

During the spring season, this tree really shines with its large clusters of flowers (nearly the size of a football) that bloom all over the foliage. The blooms can last a long time, sometimes even until late summer.

At Moon Valley Nurseries, we offer this tree as a single-trunk or multi-trunk. In addition, the Crape Myrtle trees grown at Moon Valley Nurseries are a top variety thanks to its optimal mildew resistance, which you will not find anywhere else.

Celebrate with Us This Weekend

Come by your nearest location and find all the trees on this list for yourself. Nothing compares to seeing them with your own eyes and standing in front of them to truly appreciate all their beauty.