Menlo Park celebrates Arbor Day and Earth Day with tree plantings

Published on April 28, 2025

What is a tree’s favorite drink? ROOT beer! Last week was a special week. The City of Menlo Park celebrated Earth Day on April 22 and National Arbor Day on April 25 as the Public Works Tree team and Mayor Drew Combs got together to plant four public trees in the community. The City has planted over 130 trees this planting season!

Each Menlo Park mayor plants a tree during their term. On Friday, the Early Learner students from Silicon Valley International School joined Mayor Drew Combs and City staff in planting two Saratoga Laurels as part of the Mayor’s ceremonial plantings. Each classroom had an opportunity to plant a tree in the ground and learn about the benefits of growing trees.

On Saturday, students from the Beechwood School also joined Mayor Combs in planting two Catalina Ironwoods near the school’s parking lot during the Love Our Earth festival. Staff handed out safety gear and mini shovels to the kids, and they started shoveling dirt into the ground.

Here are some fun facts about each planted tree species:

Saratoga Laurels

• Its aromatic leaves can be dried and used as a seasoning in dishes such as stews and sauces.
• The species is very versatile. It can be planted as a screening hedge or pruned to create a tidy, medium-sized tree.

Catalina Ironwoods

• Native to the Channel Islands, where it grows on north-facing slopes and canyon habitats from sea level to 1,600 ft. in elevation
• Once established, it’s highly drought-tolerant, making it well-suited to Mediterranean climates.

Curious to see where previous mayors have planted ceremonial trees? Check out our Arbor Day and Mayoral tree planting map with planting locations since 2006.