Staff Reports

In late summer and early fall each year, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry plants millions of seeds in two state nurseries, including one in Vallonia, to produce tree and shrub seedlings for conservation planting within the state.

The goal is to produce 2 to 3 million seedlings each year for conservation plantings. Because of natural factors, achieving that goal requires planting about 8.5 million seeds.

Much of the seed the nurseries use is supplied by collectors from all over the state. Anyone who wants to collect seeds may do so, but to get paid, collectors must first go through the proper channels.

DNR 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.

The other nursery, Jasper-Pulaski Nursery, is located about 5 miles from Medaryville in the northwestern part of the state.

The state Division of 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 include black oak, black walnut, pin oak, red oak, shumard oak, white oak, bur oak, chinkapin oak, swamp chestnut oak and swamp white oak.

A complete list of species needed, prices and dates needed is at dnr.in.gov/forestry/9799.htm.

Some pointers for collecting include:

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.

Most of the listed species are ripe and ready to collect when they fall off of 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 a nursery; an air-conditioned basement is good for a short period of time.

For information, contact the Vallonia Nursery at 812-358-3621 or [email protected].

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Species;First date;Last date

Tulip tree;Sept. 7;Oct. 25

Persimmon;Sept. 15;Sept. 28

Shagbark hickory;Sept. 17;Nov. 10

Chinkapin oak;Sept. 20;Nov. 12

Red oak;Sept. 20;Nov. 24

White oak;Sept. 23;Nov. 10

Shellbark hickory;Sept. 27;Nov. 10

Swamp white oak;Sept. 27;Nov. 12

Black oak;Sept. 28;Nov. 11

Swamp chestnut oak;Sept. 30;Nov. 3

Black walnut;Oct. 1;Oct. 14

Bur oak;Oct. 1;Nov. 29

Pin oak;Oct. 4;Nov. 11

Shumard oak;Nov. 19;Jan. 5

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For information about the seed purchasing program, call the Vallonia Nursery at 812-358-3621 or email [email protected] or call the Jasper-Pulaski Nursery at 219-843-4827 or email [email protected].

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