as far as i know, there isn't a species of wood to avoid for mulch. hardwood is usually the preferred mulch. Just keep the mulch off of the trunk, and pile it up a good 4" thick (depending on how big the area is, you could go up to 6" thick as well). Some people like to replenish the mulch every year, I usually re-apply a 2" top dressing every other year (thicker if i find anywhere that is low on mulch).

You will not be able to specify the wood type anyway. Typically these chips are the by-product of arborists or utility right-of-way pruning crews. They are what they are and that is usually a big assortment of whatever is around :-)

Compost and shredded leaves make the most healthy mulch. Be aware that as hardwood mulches break down they strip nitrogen from the soil as part of the decomposing process. It returns eventually as they break down further, but it can have a negative effect on a garden that is low on nitrogen to begin with. I use cedar bark mulch under my trees. It breaks down very slowly. I rake it off at the beginning of the year and apply compost and fertilizer and then recover with mulch. Nitrogen can also trigger the break down process, but anyway, I try to strike a balance. I use slow release fertilizer for that reason. Compost for building soil structure.

Here's a link with a more in-depth explanation. https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/mulch-and-soil-fertility

Just read the article. I've seen it happen. Some of the landscapers I know are tuned in to the difference in mulch quality on plant growth over the long haul. I imagine that someone growing fruit trees would want to be aware of any potential impacts of mulch on tree growth. One could also use green mulches, which could help with a lot of other issues for the tree, such as insect control, soil fertility and pollination.

There is a lot of information from scholarly sources about this online, a lot of it coming out of Ohio State University. All mulches are not created equal and there is a lot of junk wood pallet mulch out there. Here is a link to a more technical presentation. Yes, of course don't incorporate mulch into the soil, but it happens naturally at some rate. Different rates for different mulch compositions.

http://docplayer.net/25323511-Mulching-the-landscape.html

I teach classes on this and the scientific evidence simply does not support it!! One of a series of articles published by a horticultural PhD (and professor at WSU) offers this: "Concern: Wood chip mulches will
tie up nitrogen and cause deficiencies in
plants.

Evidence: Actually, many studies
have demonstrated that woody
mulch materials increase nutrient
levels in soils and/or associated plant
foliage. My hypothesis is that a zone
of nitrogen deficiency exists at the
mulch/soil interface, inhibiting weed seed
germination while having no influence
upon established plant roots below
the soil surface. For this reason, it is
inadvisable to use high C:N mulches in
annual beds or vegetable gardens where
the plants of interest do not have deep,
extensive root systems."

Full article here: https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/wood-chips.pdf

Googling "wood chip mulches and nitrogen availability" will confirm countless articles stating the same thing. The N issue is more myth than reality, as is the concept of mulches acidifying soil. It just doesn't work that way :-))

If it were me doing it in my area I would spend the money on "cedar play chips" as these are clean, uniform and resilient - you might want to see what, if any wood product might be sold for use as play area chips where you are. Of course, with the recent fire history down it seems there there might be some concern about - or perhaps even restrictions on - spreading wood chips around inhabited spaces.

The rep from the nursery I get my trees from recommends usually the cheapest mulch available. A coarse grind with many different sizes and shapes of chips that don't compact very easily. The more species in the mulch, the better. I use the local coarse grind mulch sold in bulk. Don't waste money on high priced speciality mulches. They all decompose.

My experience with wood chips from tree trimmers (as you would get from getchipdrop) is that the wood is mixed with the leaves/twigs from the trees, so that you will be getting green along with the browns. This does encourage faster decomposition of the mulch but it is good for the soil. You have to spread the pile that you receive fairly quickly because it will heat up and start decomposing, sometimes even smoldering, very soon!

I've been using such wood chips, along with leaves from the city in the fall, on my large gardens for years without any noticeable ill effects, and with very little weeding required in the summer.

I use county provided wood mulch around my fruit trees. Donut shaped around the tree. Have prolific fruit harvest (though sometimes by the tree rats and birds). Refresh every other year.

I mulch my fruit trees right up against the trunk and have never had a problem. I don't understand the reasoning about creating a well. All it would do is collect stuff, JMO

Bark redwood chips do the work for me. I use it in the summer on peach trees, citrus to keep them cool and prevent soil to get too dry.

@dirtguy50 if you mulch right against the trunk, the tree will grow roots higher up and can choke itself out by sending roots above the existing roots. It does take a while for this to happen, but it is best for the tree to not have mulch pushed up against the trunk. The well idea should be done with the soil, not the mulch, to keep water near the roots when you plant.

But for the OP, whatever you get is going to be beneficial. get what you can, lay it down, and enjoy.