Past: George O White State Forest Nursery Seed Buying

State Forest Nursery staff are calling for your assistance.

Since 1947, George O. White State Forest Nursery has provided residents of Missouri seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, and wildlife habitat. The nursery also provides plants to the department for use in conservation activities. They grow more than 70 different species of trees and shrubs, mostly native, and each year process more than 10,000 orders and ship about 2 million seedlings. It takes about 2,000 bushels of walnuts, 6,000 pounds of white oak acorns, 500 pounds of hazelnuts and 500 pounds of plum seed just to establish seedlings for these four species.

The nursery is currently purchasing seed from the public for a variety of species such as wild plum, willow oak, cherrybark oak, eastern wahoo, and bald cypress. Please contact MDC's Southeast Regional Office, Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center, or State Forest Nursery for this year's complete seed list.

Seed can be brought to MDC's Southeast Regional Office at 2302 County Park Dr Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center at 2289 County Park Dr Tues-Sat 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

The nursery reserves the right to stop buying seed once needs are met. The nursery also reserves the right to reject seed that is poor quality, is not mature, or is mixed with refuse such as leaves and twigs. People in southeast Missouri who have questions about tree species or how to check to see if the seed is good can contact MDC Community Forester Jennifer Behnken. People can also get information from George O. White Nursery Manager Mike Fiaoni at Michael.Fiaoni@mdc.mo.gov.