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Seed Purchasing Program

Oak acorns

Collect tree seeds for cash

Indiana’s state tree nurseries in Vallonia and Medaryville may pay you to collect certain tree seed throughout the state.

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, and white oak (2 cents per each qualifying seed); and bur oak, chinkapin oak, swamp chestnut oak and swamp white oak (3 cents per each qualifying seed).

tree seeds
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 us – an air-conditioned basement is good for a short period of time.

The following tables list the seed we are seeking this year and collecting season dates for each species.

Tree seed collecting dates

SPECIESFirst DateLast 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

Vallonia State Tree Nursery
2782 West 540 South
Vallonia, IN  47281
812-358-3621
vallonianursery@dnr.IN.gov

Seeds needed

SPECIESSEEDSPOUNDSPRCIE MINIMUM POUNDS
SHELLBARK HICKORY 82,593 2,829 $0.0400 10
SHAGBARK HICKORY 158,333 1,880 $0.0325 10
BLACK GUM 34,091 23 $0.0150 1
BLACK OAK 61,667 487 $0.0200 10
BLACK WALNUT 301,435 14,926 $0.0109 25
BUR OAK 70,816 1,131 $0.0300 10
CHINKAPIN OAK 69,286 544 $0.0300 5
PERSIMMON 115,385 144 $0.0200 5
PIN OAK 84,167 414 $0.0200 5
RED OAK 252,500 3,706 $0.0200 10
SHUMARD OAK 9,999 132 $0.0200 10
SWAMP CHESTNUT OAK 156,250 3,894 $0.0300 10
SWAMP WHITE OAK 136,250 1,889 $0.0300 10
TULIP TREE 228,571 444 $0.0200 20
WHITE OAK 330,952 4,357 $0.0200 10

Jasper-Pulaski State Tree Nursery
15508 West 700 North
Medaryville, IN 47957
219-843-4827
jaspernursery@dnr.IN.gov

Seeds needed

SPECIESSEEDSPOUNDSPRICE MINIMUM POUNDS
SHELLBARK HICKORY 10,000 343 $0.0400 10
SHAGBARK HICKORY 50,000 594 $0.0325 10
BLACK OAK 30,000 237 $0.0200 10
BLACK WALNUT 50,000 2,476 $0.0091 25
BUR OAK 337,347 5,387 $0.0300 10
CHINKAPIN OAK 20,000 157 $0.0300 5
PIN OAK 20,000 98 $0.0200 5
RED OAK 50,000 734 $0.0200 10
SWAMP WHITE OAK 20,000 277 $0.0300 10
WHITE OAK 50,000 658 $0.0200 10
HAZELNUT 100,000 506 $0.0250 5

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