State tree nursery will pay for collected seeds; Jasper - Pulaski nursery in Medaryville collecting

Indiana’s state tree nursery will pay you to collect certain tree seed throughout the state if the seeds meet DNR specifications.

Each year the nurseries, part of the DNR Division of Forestry, plant millions of seeds to produce tree and shrub seedlings for conservation planting within the state. Each year much of the seed the nurseries use is supplied by collectors from all over the state. DNR Forestry pays seed collectors on the basis of “pure live seed.” That term means the seeds must be from the required tree species, and cannot be infected with disease or infested with insects.

DNR Forestry’s goal is to produce 2-3 million seedlings each year for conservation plantings. Because of natural factors, achieving that goal requires planting about 8.5 million seeds. DNR Forestry, which operates the nurseries, orchestrates statewide seed collection with the goal of diversifying the seed source. Such diversification allows the nursery to grow seedlings that will be well adapted to grow into mature trees throughout the state.

Some of the seeds being sought, and the price per seed offered, include black oak, black walnut, pin oak, red oak, shumard oak, white oak, bur oak, chinkapin oak, swamp chestnut oak and swamp white oak. See the table below for current pricing and collection dates.

Some pointers for collecting:

— Always call first to see if the seeds you plan to collect are still needed.
— Collect only seeds and fruit – no leaves, sticks, or trash.
— Keep species separate – if you’re not certain that two (or more) trees are the same species, keep them in separate containers.
— If you are not certain if you have the proper species, email a photo of the seed/fruit, leaves, bark, and twigs to the address below for identification.
— Most of the listed species are ripe and ready to collect when they fall off the tree.
— Healthy acorns (with the exception of bur oak) will fall free of the cap. Keep the seeds/fruit cool until you can deliver it to the office – an air-conditioned basement is good for a short period of time.

                    SEED COLLECTION DATES

SPECIES

First Date

Last Date

TULIPTREE

9/7

10/25

PERSIMMON

9/15

9/28

SHAGBARK HICKORY

9/17

11/10

CHINKAPIN OAK

9/20

11/12

RED OAK

9/20

11/24

WHITE OAK

9/23

11/10

SHELLBARK HICKORY

9/27

11/10

SWAMP WHITE OAK

9/27

11/12

BLACK OAK

9/28

11/11

SWAMP CHESTNUT OAK

9/30

11/3

BLACK WALNUT

10/1

10/14

BUR OAK

10/1

11/29

PIN OAK

10/4

11/11

LOCATION

seeds needed

Vallonia State Tree Nursery

2782 West 540 South

Vallonia, IN  47281

812-358-3621

SPECIES

# SEEDS

#POUNDS

PRICE/SEED

SHELLBARK HICKORY

82,593

2,851

$0.0375

SHAGBARK HICKORY

158,333

1,869

$0.0300

BLACK GUM

34,091

23

$0.0126

BLACK OAK

61,667

487

$0.0176

BLACK WALNUT

289,531

14,239

$0.0100

BUR OAK

30,000

481

$0.0276

CHINKAPIN OAK

87,143

691

$0.0260

PERSIMMON

96,154

122

$0.0160

PIN OAK

63,333

313

$0.0180

RED OAK

262,500

3,872

$0.0180

SWAMP CHESTNUT OAK

132,813

3,316

$0.0260

SWAMP WHITE OAK

112,813

1,564

$0.0260

TULIP TREE

190,476

368

$0.0170

WHITE OAK

330,952

4,368

$0.0180

Jasper-Pulaski State Tree Nursery

15508 West 700 North

Medaryville, IN  47281

219-843-4827

SPECIES

#SEEDS

#POUNDS

PRICE/SEED

SHELLBARK HICKORY

10,000

345

$0.0375

SHAGBARK HICKORY

50,000

590

$0.0300

BLACK OAK

30,000

237

$0.0180

BLACK WALNUT

50,000

2,459

$0.0100

BUR OAK

337,347

5,411

$0.0280

CHINKAPIN OAK

20,000

159

$0.0260

PIN OAK

20,000

99

$0.0180

RED OAK

50,000

738

$0.0180

SWAMP WHITE OAK

20,000

277

$0.0260

WHITE OAK

50,000

660

$0.0180