Laurel Park Gains 2 New Trees As Los Alamitos Celebrates Arbor Day

LOS ALAMITOS, CA— When you go to Laurel Park, you'll see two more brightly flowering Eastern Redbud trees, thanks to the community planting event held the last Saturday of April.

A city spokesperson said that this year was a banner year in Los Alamitos for the Arbor Day celebration. The community pitched in to plant two new Eastern Bud trees to commemorate the year. Local dignitaries and children from the community gathered at the annual event, attended by Council Member Doby, EPSON personnel Joe Peña, and Senator Janet Nguyen.

Arbor Day is celebrated annually across the country during the spring planting season. Each year, Los Alamitos invites the community to come and help with tree planting and enjoy field games and crafts for the children, the city spokesperson said.

The trees, selected by city experts, can reach between 20 to 30 feet high and 25 to 35 feet wide, according to TheSpruce.com. It forms into a vase shape and is prone to growing multiple trunks. The leaves are heart-shaped (cordate) and are approximately 3 to 5 inches across.

"Most redbud trees have pink flowers, and there are some varieties with white flowers," the website says.

"EPSON generously passed out the seedlings they had donated to the community," city spokesperson Taelor Von Jaroschka Pohl said.

Volunteers also had the chance to pose by a large cardboard cutout of basketball great Shaquille O'Neil, thanks to EPSON.

Attendees participated in family-friendly games such as cornhole, mini basketball, ultimate frisbee, and spin the wheel, where they were able to win giveaways. The crafts included designing a pinecone bird feeder, crafting a mini greenhouse in a bottle, painting beautiful flower pots, and digging into the sensory bins.

"This was a fun yet simple way to remind everyone that trees are the silent heroes working to keep our planet healthy," Pohl said. "Thank you to all who came and helped make this event so special!"