National Arbor Day in Venezuela Date in the current year: May 26, 2024

Originally, Venezuelan Arbor Day was held on May 23. It was established by a decree released by President Cipriano Castro on April 10, 1905. Tree planting day was an event held mostly at schools. In 1909, the observance was moved to May 15.

On May 29, 1948, the araguaney (Tebebuia crysantha) was declared National Tree of Venezuela, as it is an emblematic native species of South America. The araguaney is an extraordinary beautiful tree, the deep yellow color of its flowers resembles the one that can be found on the flag of Venezuela.

To honor the designation of the araguaney as the country's National Tree, Arbor Day was moved to May 29, but since 1951 it has been held on the last Sunday in May for practical reasons. On this day, Venezuelans plant trees to contribute to the preservation of the country's rich and unique flora.

Around 38% of the estimated 21,000 species of plants found in Venezuela are endemic. Around 48% of the country's land is covered with cloud forests and rainforests.