Department of Agriculture and Forestry, State of Louisiana - Mike Strain DVM, Commissioner

NEWS

LDAF seedling sale to begin late February, early March

February 5, 2009

The annual shade-tree seedling sale sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry will be March 2 through March 6 at various LDAF facilities throughout the state, according to Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain, D.V.M.

In Lafayette, the dates are set for February 28 through March 7.
The LDAF has offices in Baton Rouge, Hammond, Clinton, DeRidder, Oberlin, Woodworth, Natchitoches, Haughton, Monroe, Jena, Lafayette and New Orleans. Some districts will hold sales in satellite locations in addition to the office site. Dates and times will vary and will be publicized locally, Strain said.

“We suggest that everyone interested in purchasing seedlings look for local publicity on the sale or call the LDAF office in their area to find out exact times and places seedlings will be available,” Strain said.

Two types of seedling packets will be on sale at all locations. A pine packet will contain 20 seedlings and will cost $3. The other packet will contain a total of six trees, including two baldcypress and one each of Chinese elm, Shumard oak, cherrybark oak and river birch, also for $3. Packet species content may vary in some cases, depending on availability.

A special hurricane packet, comprised of one live oak, two cherrybark oaks and two cow oaks and will be available in Hammond, Oberlin, DeRidder and Clinton.
 
All seedlings will be year-old, bare-root seedlings and sold on a first-come basis. They cannot be reserved in advance. 

“Some years we sell out of certain species before the week is out, especially some of the hardwoods, so we encourage people to come early during the sale,” Strain said.

The tree species are all native to Louisiana and well-suited to the state’s growing conditions. All are large trees at maturity and should be planted on sites where their limbs will not interfere with overhead utility lines or structures and their roots will not interfere with sewer lines, slab foundations, walkways or driveways as they mature.

Phone numbers for the LDAF offices are Hammond, 985-543-4057; Oberlin, 337-639-4978;  Jena, 318-992-1400; Haughton, 318-949-3225; Monroe, 318-345-7595; Natchitoches, 318-357-3126;  DeRidder, 337-463-7801; Clinton, 225-683-5862; Lafayette, 337-262-5433; New Orleans, 504-343-8684; and Woodworth, 318-487-5172.