Plant a famous tree.

You can celebrate the beauty of nature and make a wise investment in your yard by planting a tree. Trees work hard for the earth, purifying the air and water, slowing runoff and cooling our homes. Plus they add property value, look beautiful, and make a great place for a hammock or a picnic. AMERICAN FORESTS' Famous & Historic Tree program has trees grown from the seed of trees connected to famous people events and places.

Consider one of these flowering trees to beautify your space on the Earth. To learn more about and/or purchase a tree, visit www.historictrees.org.

Andersonville Southern Magnolia: Nothing quite matches the beauty of a southern magnolia with its large, creamy white fragrant blossoms and glossy green leaves. The Andersonville Southern Magnolias were planted as grave markers for Union prisoners of war. Clara Barton identified bodies at Andersonville Prison after the Civil War, and it is thought that she was responsible for planting these trees.

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Johnny Appleseed Apple: You get both form and function with an apple tree--beautiful spring blooms and delicious, healthy fruit. The most famous apple tree planter was John Chapman, also known as Johnny Appleseed. His plantings made life easier for pioneers, who found apples to be a sustainable crop that had many uses. The last known living tree planted by Johnny Appleseed is in Nova, Ohio, and serves as the bud source for these grafted trees. The species is Rambo--one of John Chapman's favorites--an excellent dessert apple for eating fresh or cooking.

Clara Barton Redbud: Prodded by the patriotic words of her dying father, Clara Barton distributed supplies as a volunteer at the start of the Civil War. Afterwards she became the first woman to head a government bureau, the Missing Soldiers Office, which inspired her to found the American Red Cross. Redbuds herald spring with their pink or purple pea-like blooms, which stand out against dark bark. The Clara Barton Redbud can be found at her home in Glen Echo, Maryland.

River Farm Chaste Tree: River Farm was George Washington's boyhood home until he inherited Mount Vernon from his brother at age 11. The River Farm Chaste Tree delights summer visitors with its purple flowers and aromatic foliage, popular with pollinating bees and hummingbirds. Today River Farm is home to the American Horticultural Society, situated on 25 acres of landscaped lawns and gardens in Alexandria, Virginia.

Tidal Basin Japanese Cherry: Spring in our nation's capital is synonymous with cherry trees, when the Tidal Basin comes alive with pink and white blooms. The original trees were a gift of friendship from the Japanese Emperor in 1912. The popular Yoshino is among the earliest bloomers of the 12 varieties planted there. In 1952, cuttings from Washington's cherries were sent back to Japan to help restore the original grove from which the DC cherries originated. That grove, on the bank of the Arakawa River in a Tokyo suburb, had been decimated by WWII.

Williamsburg Golden Raintree & Wysteria: The golden raintrees are among the many beautiful landscape features to be found in Colonial Williamsburg, which served as the capital of Virginia from 1699 to 1780. George Washington and Martha Custis spent their 1759 honeymoon on Six Chimney Lot; George Wythe--a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the first law professor at the College of William and Mary--was a resident. Visitors to the site admire the small raintrees' unusual yellow flowers and bright fall color as well as the purple-blossomed wysteria trailing along the village fences.