Buy native trees and shrubs from MDC State Forest Nursery

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Need trees and shrubs for your landscape? Go native with tree and shrub seedlings from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). Native trees and shrubs can help improve wildlife habitat and soil and water conservation while also improving the appearance and value of private property.

MDC’s George O. White State Forest Nursery offers a variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for sale for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, wildlife food and cover, and other purposes.

The nursery provides mainly one-year-old, bare-root seedlings with sizes varying by species. Seedlings varieties include pine, bald cypress, cottonwood, black walnut, hickory, oak, pecan, persimmon, river birch, maple, willow, sycamore, blackberry, buttonbush, hazelnut, redbud, ninebark, elderberry, sumac, wild plum, witch hazel, and others. MDC recommends ordering early for the best selection.

“The nursery grows millions of seedlings each year, but some species are very popular and sell out quickly,” said Forest Nursery Supervisor Mike Fiaoni. “And some seedlings occasionally succumb to harsh weather or hungry wildlife, despite the nursery staff’s best efforts.”

Fiaoni added that even if a species is listed as “sold out,” customers can still place an order for those seedlings because other orders may get cancelled, freeing up inventory. Customers won’t be charged for seedlings unless they are available to ship.

Seedlings are available in bundles of 10 or increments of 25 per species. Prices range from 40 cents to $1.17 per seedling. Sales tax will be added to orders unless tax exempt. There is a shipping fee and a $9 handling charge for each order. Receive a 15% discount up to $20 off seedling orders with a Conservation ID Number. Orders will be shipped or can be picked up at the nursery, located near Licking, from February through May.

New this year, MDC will offer four bundle types of seedlings: wildlife, pollinator, edible, and nut bundles. Each customer is limited to only two of each bundle.

• Pollinator Bundles includes five each of the following: false indigo, buttonbush, elderberry (cook before eating), witch-hazel, and redbud. These provide much-needed nectar for bees, butterflies, moths, and other pollinators.
• Wildlife Bundles includes five ofeach of the following: false indigo, blackberry, smooth sumac, white oak, and Nuttall oak. These provide food and cover for a wide variety of insects and other wildlife.
• Edible Bundles include five of each of the following: blackberry, elderberry (cook before eating), American plum, hazelnut, and black walnut. These provide food for both humans and wildlife.
• Nut Bundles include five of each of the following: black walnut, pecan, and shellbark hickory.  These species are edible for humans and are a great source of protein.

Orders can be placed beginning Sept. 2 through April 15, 2026. Place orders online at mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/tree-seedlings.

Learn more from MDC’s 2025-2026 Seedling Order Form. Find it in the September issue of the Missouri Conservationist, at MDC regional offices and nature centers, or by contacting the State Forest Nursery at 573-674-3229 or StateForestNursery@mdc.mo.gov.