2023 George O. White State Forestry Seedlings

The 2022-2023 George O. White State Nursery Seedling catalog. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

2023 George O. White State Forestry Seedlings

Big news this year for George O. White State Nursery fans. The ordering window now opens at 8 a.m. September 1 instead of midnight so we can all sleep in before we start to order. Oh, I’m not joking, ask around, many of us wanted to get our orders as soon as possible.

Why the big excitement? Because some of the seedlings sell out fast such as paw paw trees. If you want to get them for spring 2023 you have to be quick on the ordering.

Native seedlings are important to our local micro climates and ecosystems. Not only have those plants become adapted to the local growing conditions but they have critical interdependent relationships with local bugs, birds and other animals. In Missouri, the George O. White State Forestry Nursery in Licking, Missouri has been raising, and providing native trees and shrubs since it was started in the 1940s when Missouri’s forests were replanted.

If you are just starting to learn about Missouri native trees and shrubs — or even if you think you know — get a copy of their catalog for your reference files. The color catalog has good photos of each Missouri native tree and shrub species as well as a detailed, easy to read graph of the best uses of each. They also have a detailed guide on site preparation so don’t miss out on how to prepare for success.

Smallest bundles of 10 seedlings are $1 each. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Some of the noted species may be marked sold out. Order it anyway because of the people before you don’t pay for their order, they move on to the next person. For a number of years I have ordered sold out items only to be contacted early December and asked if I was still interested. So if you are contacted, make sure to pay at the time they contact you or they will move on to the next person who ordered.

Each seedling is $1 for a minimum of 10 seedlings. The price goes down for more seedlings in quantities of 25 and 100. There is a $9 handling charge and taxes, too.

This year they started charging a shipping fee but you can save yourself that fee by picking up the seedlings at the Licking site next spring. They usually have a very nice open house around the beginning of April where you can volunteer to help and get your seedlings at the same time.

If you have a Missouri Conservation card, you get 15% off up to $20 order.

False indigo bush has lovely flowers bees love. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Once I get my seedlings, I get them in pots and let their roots get established for at least a year. That way the tree and shrub species has a good start before I place it somewhere on my limestone hillside. Not all of them make it, growing on my hillside can be brutal for plants that can’t get their roots through the rock.

The one exception is flowering dogwoods. Those seedlings don’t like to be moved so I get them into the ground and get their holes full dry leaves. I also cover them in leaves, mark their location and make sure they get watered for the first couple of years. I’ve found the tops may die off but if the roots can make it, new growth may appear a few years later. By marking their location I don’t disturb them as they try to settle in.

Last year, I fell in love a new addition to my hillside; false indigo bushes. I pruned them into a tree form in some spots and was surprised that they made it through our record hot temperatures earlier this year. Guess what I will be ordering again.

What are you planning to order?

Charlotte

Order Missouri Native Plants

George O. White Nursery ordering form available online. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Order Missouri Native Plants

September 1, 2019 was the opening of the George O. White Nursery 2020 ordering window through April 15, 2020 and I have my order, and check, in the mail. Yes, that may just be a new record, even for me!

You don’t have to be so quick, I just have my heart set on getting a nice supply of native Beauty Berry bushes. I was given one earlier this year and I was astounded at how beautiful it is, photos don’t do it justice. The berries are also excellent wildlife food, which may keep my wildlife menagerie happy.

I ordered some seedlings last year as well; witch hazel, button bush, elderberries and rose mallow, all excellent pollinator plants. I wanted some serviceberries, a lovely spring tree but those were sold out. They are already sold out this year as well.

Once the seedlings arrived, I potted them in new soil and kept them moist for most of the growing season. The seedlings are now big enough to fend for themselves in the garden.

Some of the plant starts from earlier this spring, ready for transplanting. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

You can also plant the seedlings directly into soil once you get them next spring. I prefer to give them a growing season in pots so that I can more easily find them later.Placing them in pots also helps their roots get established so that the transplanting is more successful.

Here is one example of witch hazel seedlings. On the left the original seedling, on the right the witch hazel established and ready to be transplanted.

On left, one of the spring starts. On right, witch hazel with established roots. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Not all seedlings make it but I have a good 90% success with the ones I have received. They are shipped bare rooted so it’s good to be prepared for when they are expected to arrive.

In the case of these seedlings, I had the pots filled with new potting soil waiting for the seedlings. Here is a rose mallow start, on the left:

This native rose mallow started out as the tiny stick on the left. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The native rose mallow start sprung off that seedling and is now almost 5 feet tall, more than ready to be transplanted into the garden.

Rose mallow is a cousin to the hibiscus. The Missouri native ones are white with a burgundy center. What I like about rose mallow, also a cousin to what people call Rose of Sharon, is that it blooms from July to frost, providing nectar and pollen to my bees during the August dearth.

That same native rose mallow is now almost 5 feet tall, ready to move into the garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Once you place your order online, you will get an email confirming your order. You have 30 days from when the order was placed to pay. After the 30 days if you don’t pay the seedlings are made available to the next person who placed an order.

Last year, I ordered all items marked “sold out'“ online but ended up getting them all when previous orders were not finalized with payment.

When you order, you can designate what week of the month you want your seedlings shipped. I usually select mid-April because the weather tends to be more cooperative then.

If you live in Missouri, shipping to your Missouri address is free.

This is an excellent place to get yourselves native tree and shrub stock. Ten seedlings are $8.95; 25 seedlings are $10.95.

If you wait until December 1 or later, you can call 800-392-3111 for a recorded message concerning possible shipping delays and the kinds of trees still available.

This is my latest addition to my garden, Missouri’s native Beauty Berry, which provides wildlife winter food. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

What trees and shrubs do you plan to order?

Charlotte