Arbor Day Foundation Reviews 

90
TrustScore 1.5 out of 5

1.7

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 22 reviews, most reviewers were let down by their experience overall. Many customers reported that the trees they received were either dead upon arrival or failed to show any signs of life after planting, even with proper care. Reviewers frequently noted poor quality, with many plants appearing moldy or crunchy and ultimately not budding. A significant number of plants did not survive, with some consumers experiencing very low survival rates for their orders. However, some customers also noted more positive outcomes, with several reporting that their purchased trees were growing beautifully and thriving. A few other people also felt that a majority of their plants survived, indicating some successful experiences.

What people talk about most

Product

Consumers find product quality to be ambiguous, with many reporting that trees and seedlings arrived dead or... See more

Quality

Customers consistently note negative experiences with quality, with many reporting that seedlings and plants... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

I ordered 3 Red Maple trees lats year Order W21455678 Sunday, March 30, 2025. They seemed t be working so all was well until this year, when two of the 3 trees stopped blooming. I sent 3 emails... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I bought ten bare root redbud trees. They arrived late April and I planted them the day after arrival. Not a single one ever showed any signs of life. I contacted Arbor Day Foundation twice by emai... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I wish I had checked Trustpilot before ordering trees from arborday.org. I honestly thought I would help plant more trees by becoming a member and also order some trees for my own yard. I don't think... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Ordered tree sticks for fall planting. Tree sticks arrived December 5 to northern NH when everything is frozen solid. They told me to pre-dig holes and keep some warm topsoil ready for winter planting... See more


Company details

  1. Tree Service
  2. Arborist and Tree Surgeon
  3. Garden Center

Information provided by various external sources

This official site of the Arbor Day Foundation provides information about planting and caring for trees, our Rain Forest Rescue and Tree City USA programs, and much more. Buy trees and give a gift of trees through our Trees in Memory and Trees for Amer...


Contact info

  • North 12th Street 211, 68508, Lincoln, United States

  • arborday.org

1.7

Bad

TrustScore 1.5 out of 5

90 reviews

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1-star

No history of asking for reviews

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1.7

All reviews

(90)

22 reviews in the last 12 months

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Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Trees are not healthy Very few needles…

Trees are not healthy Very few needles on them were green most were yellow turning brow with roots tangled together. Received Pee Gee hydrangea's also in equally bad shape and roots all tangled together. They offered to send me more - UN NO NO thank you I do not need any more of your green house clean outs.
Have called Lincoln Nebraska several times and ask to stop ending me mail - save a tree NOPE been 2 years of unnecessary junk mail and it just keeps coming. I for one am sorry to have ever dealt with this company.

December 21, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

used to be good - now it's ridiculous

This used to be a good company. I would get baby trees from them and though only 75% survived, for the price of $1-3/tree, it was fine.

Today, this has turned into a large corporation. Their prices are ridiculous and they are carrying trademarked plants which makes it pretty clear they are no longer a charity. They are a for-profit organization.

February 8, 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

They lie

They lie. They say certain tree species are restricted in Alaska but that it not true. This is information readily available from the State of Alaska Division of Forestry.

January 15, 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

It is a scam

It is a scam, the ceo is a thief. It started out good, like unions, but greed has taken over. The law needs to get involved

November 1, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Well this is the fifth year in a row…

Well this is the fifth year in a row that I have gotten there so called survey which is not changed it all in the five years that I have gotten it no mention of climate change yet on the survey. they seem to be more interested in asking if you have climbed a tree instead something that would actually help trees and forests survey is all marketing ploy and no real substance

If these people are as they say all for trees and education where is the education on their website? Where are the statements about clear-cut logging where are the statements about selling off our national forests for logging interests? Or the oil exploration in pristine national lands none of this is on their website "silence means consent".

Every single item I have purchased from this website organizations have arrived packed horribly and damaged, limbs broken dried out. and everything I have planted has died. following there instructions for planting to the letter and these trees I purchased where some of there most expensive trees in the fruit selection. get a replacement ?? good luck!

I will NOT call them a charity because they sure don't look like a charity to me. check there financial statements for their salaries and costs and their actual Arbor farm gets the least amount of money in their financial statements.

since they got their tax-free status after complaining to the IRS in 1971 and the president at the time was our corp owned and treasonous Richard Nixon want to bet they made donations to his candidacy? An actual charity should spend the majority of their income on their actual charitable works from what I can tell from their statement the majority of their money goes to board salaries absolutely more executives than they could possibly need for running a charity.

I think the IRS should give these guys another look

August 26, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

The worst customer service ever

I made a merchandise order with Arbor Day Foundation almost 3 weeks ago and funds were withdrawn from my credit card immediately, yet despite my phone calls and their promises to send it out right away, it still has not shipped and they keep putting me off. I have no idea when I will actually receive the tree watering system but I should have been told it would be a month+ before that happened, and not been charged ahead.

April 22, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Awful experience

Trees arrived over 2 weeks late, damaged, in ripped up shipping plastic. Called them and had a horrible experience with their receptionist Leroy. Would disconnect me, transfer me to his "receptionist mailbox" and in the end didnt do anything other than get us even angrier. Would not allow me to talk with a superior or anyone else who might be able to shed some light on our order. Seemed really helpful when I asked to be removed from all advertising and cancel our membership....only to once again transfer me to "receptionist mailbox".

April 21, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing is an understatement

Disappointing is an understatement. I have purchased trees and plants from over 20 different online nurseries over the years and I am rarely disappointed in the quality of plants. I would say I have had a greater than 90% success rate and anything that hasn't lived was most likely due to less than ideal growing conditions on my part.

This is not the case with Arbor Day Foundation. My first purchase from arborday.org was two years ago and not a single plant lived. Compared to my purchases from other nurseries, these plants arrived in horrible condition. I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt and try again so last year I ordered another round of plants. Same poor conditions on arrival and 2 out of the 10 have survived. This company needs to spend more time on their nursery instead sending loads and loads of paper crap in the mail asking for money. I will never order again and will advise those in my circle to make their purchases elsewhere.

February 16, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Only one in five "trees" actually lived on.

The prices are low, however the "trees" they sell are basically twigs with a few roots on them, plus they sent them mid-winter, which is a terrible time to plant. Only two out of ten plants survived.

I wish I had read the reviews that are online about this outfit before I ordered. The word "scam" is frequently used.

I'm not sure what charity work they actually do, but their executives receive hefty paychecks.

August 22, 2021
Unprompted review

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