As fall begins, so does the Compact’s Root Nashville tree delivery season: thousands of new trees, ordered by Davidson County residents this summer, are preparing to make their way to homes and neighborhoods across our city. They may look young, but before they reach Nashville, these young trees have already been on a long journey– one that starts years earlier in the heart of Tennessee’s nursery country. In this blog post, follow the Compact to a tree nursery in McMinnville, Tennessee, and learn the story of a Root Nashville tree’s journey from seed to your doorstep.
Root Nashville is a citywide urban forestry campaign, led by the Cumberland River Compact and Metro Nashville, with the goal of planting 500,000 trees in Davidson County by 2050.
Tennessee’s Tree Nursery Capital
Every Root Nashville tree begins its life in McMinnville, Tennessee – known nationally as the tree nursery capital of the world. The region’s mild climate, fertile limestone soils, and reliable groundwater make it ideal for growing trees. Generations of growers have refined their techniques here, creating a hotspot of horticultural knowledge and infrastructure that supports urban forestry programs nationwide.
By sourcing trees locally, the Root Nashville campaign strengthens Tennessee’s nursery economy while also reducing its environmental footprint through fewer transportation miles traveled between where trees are grown and their future homes.
Native Trees, Native Soil
Trees grown in Tennessee are also naturally attuned to our regional phenology, which is the local rhythm of temperature, rainfall, and daylight that tells trees when to flower in spring and drop leaves in fall. When trees are sourced from far away, their internal “clock” can be misaligned with Middle Tennessee’s climate. This can cause premature budbreak in spring (leaving tender tissue exposed to late frosts) or delayed dormancy in winter, which increases the risk of cold injury.
“Native trees thrive best in native soil,” says Erwin Tupper, the owner and operator of the Compact’s preferred tree nursery. “By keeping our operations local, we’re setting each tree up for success right from the start.”
Growing Strong Roots
At the nursery, Root Nashville trees are cultivated with innovative practices to create strong, resilient root systems – the foundation of long-term success. To give young trees the best start, our grower uses compostable paper liners instead of traditional plastic cells. As they get larger, the trees are moved to breathable cloth bags, instead of plastic containers. These alternative root pouch materials benefit Root Nashville trees– and the environment– in several ways:
- Healthier roots: Paper liners and cloth bags are beneficial because they allow air to circulate around the trees’ root systems, which helps them sense where the soil ends. This causes the trees to develop healthy and dense root systems with lots of smaller, branching secondary roots. When grown in plastic, trees tend to develop fewer, longer roots that circle or girdle the edges of their container. This can eventually make them root bound, stunting their growth and causing damage when they’re transplanted.
- Water conservation: Cloth bags naturally regulate soil moisture, reducing the risk of overwatering while keeping roots consistently hydrated. Compared to traditional plastic pots, they lower overall irrigation needs during the nursery phase, conserving water for growers and decreasing demand on local water infrastructure.
- Natural decomposition: Paper liners break down in soil, and the cloth bags used at the Root Nashville nursery are biodegradable – this keeps thousands of pounds of plastic waste out of landfills each year. Also, letting the young trees’ paper liners break down naturally inside their larger container (rather than moving them from one plastic pot to another as they grow) reduces transplant shock and promotes longevity.
“The tree’s motor is its root,” says Erwin Tupper. “Good roots make good trees. That’s what gives our canopy strength for generations.”
Young Root Nashville seedlings are kept in a high tunnel greenhouse until they’re large enough to withstand wind and changing temperatures; then, they’re kept outdoors on an irrigated lot until it’s time to make the pilgrimage to Nashville. Depending on the species, this nursery phase of their lives will last between two and three years.
Delivery Day
By the time a Root Nashville tree arrives in your neighborhood, it’s already one inch in trunk diameter, 6-8 feet tall, and ready for life in the city. Each fall and winter, more than 8,000 trees are delivered by Cumberland River Compact staff. The Root Nashville team coordinates between 150 and 200 deliveries a week, responding to last minute changes in species availability and order confirmation status to ensure that every Nashvillian receives the tree(s) they want.
While the Compact handles tree delivery, Root Nashville Neighborhood Planting Captains smooth the way, helping to make sure households all over Nashville confirm their orders and dig holes for their new trees. Neighborhood Planting Captains are a grassroots network of volunteers from across the city who spread the word about Root Nashville in their own communities, ensuring that every neighborhood has equal access to free trees.
Root Nashville trees aren’t just going to yards; many of them find their new homes at schools, churches, community centers, or businesses. Learn more about these Community Reforestation projects– and how you can recommend a space to receive 10 or more free trees.
Looking Ahead: Growing the Future of Nashville’s Canopy
Root Nashville tree recipients get to choose from different species each year, and those species aren’t randomly selected: each tree offered by the Cumberland River Compact through Root Nashville is carefully chosen to design a resilient urban forest for the future.
Jason Sprouls, the Compact’s Urban Waters Division Manager, leads this process. An ISA board-certified arborist, he carefully selects trees using the Santamour 30-20-10 rule of urban forestry, which recommends no more than 30% of a city’s canopy be from one family, no more than 20% from one genus, and no more than 10% from one species.
Diversity safeguards the canopy against pests, diseases, and shifting climate conditions, ensuring Nashville’s urban forest can thrive for generations to come. The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) outbreak is a stark reminder of how quickly a single pest can devastate a homogenous canopy.
That’s why Jason prioritizes finding species suited for Nashville’s changing climate.
“We’re intentionally vetting for trees with ranges that extend farther south,” Jason says. “Species that show plasticity, or the ability to adapt physiologically to new conditions, are the ones most likely to persist as our climate changes.”
A Uniquely Climate-Resilient Tree
Root Nashville species selections begin two to three years in advance, allowing the team to secure seed supplies for rare or underutilized species that can be difficult to source in bulk. For example, this year’s species include a variety of Osage orange called ‘Whiteshield,’ which Jason expects to be an appealing and beneficial addition to the city’s canopy.
“Unlike traditional Osage orange trees, whose large fruits you may think of as ‘horse apples’ or ‘monkey brains’, the Whiteshield cultivar is thornless, fruitless, and nuisance-free. These native trees are drought tolerant, pest-resistant, and overall resilient to urban stresses, making them an ideal choice for a climate-adapted, durable urban canopy.
Osage orange is also beautiful, with glossy green leaves and vibrant, textured bark,” Jason adds. “Species diversity isn’t just good for the environment; it adds more texture, color, and overall visual appeal to our streets and yards. One of our key roles as the Root Nashville lead is to raise awareness and appreciation for underplanted species; we like to think that by doing so, we’re encouraging people to choose a more diverse palette at retail too.”
Under Jason’s guidance, Root Nashville continues diversifying and growing Nashville’s tree canopy, factoring in outcomes two, three, ten, and even a hundred years in advance. “The choices we make now determine whether Nashville’s canopy can withstand what’s coming,” Jason says. “It’s about planting not just more trees, but the right trees.”
