These youngsters are exploring the Urban Garden Center in Pearl City, just one of the places where the free plants are being grown.
Croton is just one of the dozens of plants and trees being offered by Hawaiian Electric Company during its annual Arbor Day Celebration.
"This is alahehe and it's actually one of my favorite trees. This is planted in our children's garden and it's a very small landscape tree," said Jayme Grzebik, Urban Horticulturalist.
"Blooms with a white flower, very small white flower and then little green berries that are edible to wildlife and birds and things."
The University of Hawaii runs the Urban Garden Center, along with the help with many volunteers who help make sure there will be plants available for the Arbor Day celebration on Saturday. Arbor Day is actually recognized in the spring on the mainland, but is celebrated in Hawaii during the beginning of the rainy season.
"But this is our way to be able to also bring more trees into the environment, help encourage people to plant them, different kind of trees - this year we're focusing more on fruit trees," said Bob Speer, master gardener.
Hawaiian Electric has been sponsoring this Arbor Day event since 1993.
"Trees are important because they provide natural cooling and shade, they clean the air, they're good for the environment and they help us preserve water and all the natural resources," said Kaiulani De Silva of HECO.
There will be 2600 plants, shrubs and trees available to the public for FREE at various locations around Oahu on Saturday morning. For a link and complete information, go to our web site at KHON2 dot com. 2600 plants looking for new homes.
"That shrub has been taken care of by our volunteers lovingly so we want you to take that home and lovingly take care of that tree," said Grzebik.
