SEEDLINGS AVAILABLE FROM CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT

     Each year the Missouri Department of Conservations’ George O. White State Forest Nursery, located near Licking, offers many tree and shrub species for sale to Missouri landowners.  “In a typical year, we offer about 70 species of trees and shrubs on our order form” says Greg Hoss, Nursery Supervisor.  He adds “but this is certainly not been a typical year!”  The hard freezes back in April 2007 killed tens of thousands of newly germinated seedlings. Species such as flowering dogwood, roughleaf and gray dogwood, Washington hawthorn and hackberry had just germinated and when the cold hit these new seedlings were killed.  Other species, such as sweetgum, red cedar, aromatic sumac, choke cherry, blackberry and white ash were severely damaged and the number of seedlings available is greatly reduced.

     Hoss says that in spite of all of this springs losses, “there are still a lot of species available”.  He adds “there are several species being offered for the first time this year, including paw paw and pitch x loblolly pine hybrid.”  Also new for this year is the Pecan Variety Bundle.  This includes 35 native pecan seedlings grown from four different pecan cultivars – Posey, Peruque, Mullahy, and Colby. 

     Other bundles available include the Quail Cover bundle which includes 75 shrubs for quail food and cover; the Conservation bundle, 30 trees and shrubs (5 each of 6 species); Wildlife Cover bundle 50 trees and shrubs (10 each of 5 species) and the very poplar Extra Large Nut Tree bundle which includes 15 each of big pecan and walnut seedlings.

     The Nursery grows trees and shrubs that are native to Missouri, with the exception of a few of the conifers (evergreen trees).  They grow 8 species of conifers, including the native shortleaf pine and 6 other pine species and Norway spruce.  Hoss says “we have lots of the large growing hardwood trees including walnut, pecan, red oak, bur oak, bald cypress and many others.”  They also grow a wide variety of shrub species that are good for wildlife food and cover, nearly all grown from seed collected here in mid Missouri.

     How do you obtain seedlings?  Hoss explains that “the seedling order form is available each fall after November 15^th ”.  Landowners can order online (www.mdc.mo.gov/7294) or they can use a paper order form and FAX or mail it to the Nursery.  Orders are accepted from November 15 until April 30^th.   Seedlings are shipped to your home or farm or can be picked up from the Nursery from February to mid May. If you want more information about how to order, what to plant, or just to have your name added to our mailing list contact the Nursery at 573-674-3229.

    

      Top of the Ozarks RC&D Forestry Committee http://www.morcd.org/totorcd/

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