“Following a devastating hurricane season, Duke Energy Florida is giving away 1,000 free trees to its customers as part of its ongoing collaboration with the Arbor Day Foundation. On Friday, Jan 17, which is also Florida Arbor Day, Duke Energy Florida customers can request a free tree online starting at 9 am at arborday.org/dukeenergy, while supplies last. The 1-gallon trees are shipped directly to customers’ homes with planting and care instructions and are expected to be delivered in time for National Arbor Day in April,” says a press release from Florida utility Duke Energy.
“Available tree species include the sweetbay magnolia, red maple, bald cypress, bottlebrush and crape myrtle (pink). The company also participates in several National Arbor Day tree giveaways with local cities, counties and communities and encourages residents to be on the lookout for those opportunities in the coming spring,” the press release continued. No fine print was included, just some “tips” to the free tree recipients on making sure they plant it away from power lines.
It’s not clear what will happen to the remaining trees should fewer than 1,000 ratepayers take Duke up on the offer – as in whether they’ll be planted on one of the utility’s properties or promptly thrown in a wood chipper and the mulch dumped in a landfill. And while the press release encouraged the lucky ratepayers to plant their tree, it didn’t say they had to. After all, it’s theirs to put in the garage until it dies or to strip down and try to carve into a staff like Gandalf’s from The Lord of The Rings before getting bored with that project and throwing it out. You could even rip off the leaves and paint the wood black so it becomes a scary Halloween tree and/or year-round goth tree.
The 2025 Duke Energy Free Tree giveaway starts 9 AM EST Friday. Get em before they’re gone!