Memorial Trees: Planting, Using Ashes and Finding Programs

A memorial tree is a living tribute: a tree you plant, sponsor or choose a place for in someone's memory. The simplest version is planting a native tree at home. Others are a tribute tree in a public park, a spot in a memorial forest, or a biodegradable urn that combines a seed with ashes. Whichever you pick, the tree's survival depends on the species, the planting and the first-year care.

What are your memorial tree options?

NFDA's statistics page reports that 61.4% of consumers were interested in exploring green funeral options in 2025, up from 55.7% in 2021, so interest in low-impact memorials is growing. You do not need to use ashes at all. Many families plant a tree in memory of someone who was buried, or whose ashes are kept elsewhere.

Can you use ashes with a memorial tree?

Yes, but not by pouring them straight into the ground. The Cremation Association of North America describes cremated remains as mainly calcium phosphates with minor minerals. They are processed bone fragments, not soil or compost. The maker of the Bios Urn says planting ashes directly under a tree will not work, and its urn uses a prepared soil mix and an expansion disc instead. Other tree urns work on the same principle: the ashes sit inside a container designed to give a seed or sapling a workable growing medium.

If you want to put ashes in soil on your own land, ask a local nursery or your county extension office about soil testing and mixing before you plant. Rules for burying or scattering ashes vary by state and by property type, and public land needs permission. Our guides to burying ashes in a garden, biodegradable urns and tree burial and tree pods cover the options in more detail.

How do you plant a memorial tree?

Follow these steps for a potted tree, based on the Arbor Day Foundation's planting guide.

1. Choose the right tree for the place. Pick a species native to your region and think about its full size. Keep it clear of power lines and buildings.
2. Dig a wide hole. Make it about three to four times as wide as the container, with sloping sides.
3. Set the depth carefully. Center the tree and adjust so the root collar, where the top roots leave the trunk, sits even with the ground. A tree planted too deep can struggle.
4. Mulch. Spread natural mulch 2 to 4 inches deep and remove grass within 3 feet. Keep mulch from touching the trunk.
5. Water often at first. Water daily for the first two weeks, then every three to seven days during the first year.

The Arbor Day Foundation notes that watering needs vary with climate. A nursery or local extension office can tell you the best planting window for your area and whether a newly planted tree needs staking.

Can you plant a memorial tree in a public park or cemetery?

Only with permission. Public land belongs to the city, county or park authority, and cemeteries set their own rules for plantings. Call the parks department or the cemetery office first. Some cities run tribute tree programs that pick the site, plant the tree and maintain it for a set fee. Others do not accept memorial plantings at all, or limit them to specific parks.

If a program exists, ask what species are allowed, who waters the tree in the first years, whether a plaque is permitted, and what happens if the tree dies or must be removed.

What should you ask a memorial forest?

Memorial forests and conservation burial grounds offer a place among trees for ashes or a named tree. Prices and terms differ by provider, so ask:

• What land protection backs the site, such as a conservation easement, and for how long?
• What does the price include, and is it in writing?
• Can you visit, and is the site open to the public?
• How is the location marked or recorded?
• What happens if the tree dies or the provider closes?

Our guides to conservation cemeteries and natural burial grounds explain how the land is protected, and the Green Burial Council guide explains the certification that some sites hold.

What does a memorial tree cost?

It ranges widely. A sapling from a nursery costs little. A tree urn is a modest purchase: the Bios Urn page lists it at $140 (and a smaller pet version at $99) at the time of writing (September 2026). A tribute tree or forest place has its own price, which varies by program and location. Get any price in writing and compare it with what a headstone or plaque would cost, using our memorial product selector if you are weighing options.

What mistakes do people make?

• Burying the root collar. Follow the depth guidance above.
• Piling mulch against the trunk. It should stay clear of the bark.
• Letting the tree go dry in year one. The first-year watering schedule matters most.
• Planting without permission. Public land and cemeteries have rules.
• Choosing a species that outgrows the spot. Check its mature size first.

What to do next

1. Decide whether you want a tree at home, in a public place or in a memorial forest.
2. Call the parks department or provider and ask the questions above.
3. If you are using ashes, read the maker's instructions and check local rules.
4. Read about other living memorial ideas if a tree is not the right fit.