California’s urban forests deserve nothing less than “Fancy” trees. Jessie Godfrey, UC ANR Environmental Horticulture and Water Resource Management Advisor, is elevating the work of “Team Fancy,” a group of nursery professionals advocating for state-specific tree quality standards. These standards aim to ensure that trees grown in California nurseries are structurally sound, vigorous, and resilient in challenging urban environments. Practices such as root pruning and shoot training, when applied consistently, help produce trees that thrive long after planting, benefiting both communities and urban infrastructure investments.
Godfrey emphasizes that effective tree quality standards require more than horticultural expertise—they also demand thoughtful policy design. Clear and consistent grading or certification programs can recognize quality growers, provide market differentiation, and align urban forestry goals with industry realities. At the same time, technical innovations and cost optimization strategies are essential for standards to be economically viable and widely adopted.
Through research, applied science, and public policy engagement, UC ANR's experts in environmental horticulture are helping California’s tree nursery industry raise the bar for tree quality. By establishing reliable, science-based standards, nurseries can deliver healthier trees, municipalities can protect their green infrastructure investments, and urban communities can enjoy thriving, resilient canopies for decades to come.
Read the piece by Jessie Godfrey and Chris Shogren on UC Davis' UC Nursery and Floriculture Alliance newsletter.