Well, folks, it's official. The Kwanzan was voted America's Favorite Cherry Tree in an Arbor Day Foundation poll. The Kwanzan won by a wide margin in the online poll, which surveyed over 6,645 people from all 50 states and more than 25 countries. The Arbor Day Foundation partnered with the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Although National Arbor Day will be observed on April 27^th this year, many states throughout the country choose to hold their own Arbor Day observances on different days. For example, Missouri holds its Arbor Day observance on the first Friday in April each year, while Kansas’ Arbor Day is always the last Friday in April. Most states, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, choose a date that falls within the state’s best tree planting time, which is why the observances occur at various points.

We've discussed Dutch elm disease quite a few times in the past, as it is a tree disease that is rather common in the Kansas City area. The disease, which is caused by a fungus that is transmitted by bark beetles or root grafting, can be cause trees to die very quickly if measures to prevent Dutch elm disease are not taken.

According to a recent post on the Arbor Day Foundation blog, the USDA recently updated its plant hardiness map to reflect the potential affect that climate change could have on certain plant species. The hardiness zone keeps track of the average lowest temperature in the various regions of the country, which helps determine the levels of cold-related stress trees and plants are able to withstand.

In the Spring 2012 issue of the Kansas Forestry Service’s newsletter, Kansas Canopy, the organization warns that due to a lack of snow cover through the winter, the soil may not be as moist as it should be, therefore leading to injuries to the root systems of trees.

Although the official start of spring isn’t for a few more weeks, the past few days have brought spring-like storms and high winds to Kansas and Missouri. The storms began barreling through on Tuesday night and continued through midday Wednesday, spawning tornadoes in some locations and leaving behind devastating damage.

We are excited to announce that Cartwright Tree Care is now a member of the Tree Care Industry Association! The Tree Care Industry Association, or TCIA, is a resource for both the public and industry professionals on trees and arboriculture.

With spring on the horizon, it’s time to start making preparations for the arrival of the new season, as we have mentioned several times in the past few weeks. Cartwright Tree Care is the leading provider in residential tree care, and we’re in your neighborhood, in Kansas and Missouri!

Did you know that Cartwright Tree Care has been certified with the state of Missouri as a Minority/Women owned business? In order to be eligible for this certification in Missouri, a business must be at least 51% owned by a minority and/or a women, and the minority/female owner must hold the highest position in the company, exercise direct control over daily and long-term decisions in management, policies, and operations of the business. The minority/female owner must also be a U.S. citizen or a lawfully admitted permanent resident.