Berrien County Conservation District

Thank you to the community for a great tree and shrub sale! Thank you for supporting conservation and reforestation efforts. See you next year!

Location: 

Berrien County Youth Fairgrounds, 9122 US Hwy 31, Berrien Springs, MI 49103. Use Office gate across from United Federal Credit Union. Do not use the Shawnee Road Entrance, use the US Hwy 31 Entrance.

No plant guarantees. There are no warranties on any of our plants. 

Concolor Fir   Abies concolor    

Height 60-80 ft. Moderate growth rate. Full to partial sun. Although it can exist on poor, dry sites it grows best in moist, well drained, sandy loam, slightly acidic soils. Does not grow well on heavy clay. A rapid grower after it becomes established. Also known as White Fir. Needles have a pleasant mild citrus smell. Great for ornamental landscaping and Christmas trees.

Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga Menziesii    

Height 40-60 ft. Moderately fast growing. Short to medium soft blue-green needles. It grows best in moist, well-drained soil. Prefers full sun but will grow in partial shade. It should not be planted next to Blue Spruce. Can be planted for windbreaks, wildlife, and is a popular Christmas tree because of it’s rounded shape and straight trunk. It is drought resistant, but is sensitive to salt.

Fraser Fir Abies fraseri   

Height: 30-60 ft. Width: 15-25 ft. Growth Rate: Slow, 6-10 inches per year.  Site selection is very important. It requires well-drained soil and will not tolerate wet soil conditions or droughty conditions. It prefers moist well-drained loam or heavier soil and full sun. Will not tolerate high pH, extreme heat, or extreme drought. Fraser Fir has excellent winter hardiness with a tendency to break dormancy late in the spring. Needles are 1/2 to 3/4 inch in length, dark green on the upper surface, and are silver to bluish on the lower surface. It is a good tree for wildlife cover in the winter, but is susceptible to windfall. It is often damaged by deer. It is shade intolerant. It is not native to Michigan but is commonly planted for Christmas trees or landscapes.

Norway Spruce Picea abies       

Height 60-100+ ft. Moderately fast growing. Sweeping branches with flat, short 1” to 2” dark green needles. Conical or spire-like form with pendulous branches which distinguishes it from other spruces. Shade tolerant. Most often planted for timber, pulpwood, windbreaks, and wildlife, twigs browsed by deer, needles eaten by grouse. Sensitive to salt, heat, & drought.

Red Pine Pinus resinosa Native    

Height 50-80 (up to 100) ft. Moderately fast growing native pine. Flexible 4” to 6” long, dark green needles. Grows in well drained, dry, sandy to sandy loam, acidic soils, tolerates most soils. Full sun. Tolerates dry, windy, and rocky conditions. Resistant to a variety of insects and diseases. Reddish tinge bark. Planted for timber production, reforestation, windbreaks, wildlife and sometimes ornamental. The wood is used for construction, millwork, and pulpwood. Salt sensitive.

White Cedar  (American Arborvitae) Thula occidentalis  Native   

Height 30-50 ft. Slow growing. Also known as American Arborvitae, Eastern Arborvitae, Northern or Eastern White Cedar, Swamp Cedar. Member of Cypress family. Pyramidal shaped. Prefers cool, moist, nutrient rich sites; not too wet or too dry. Bark is gray-brown to reddish, fibrous. Thickly-leaved fan-like branches. Good for wildlife habitat, birds, deer browse. Used for fencing, posts, lumber. Often planted as a border.

White Pine Pinus strobus Native Michigan State Tree      

Height 80-100 (up to 120) ft. Moderate to fast growing. Soft bluish-green 2” - 5” long soft needles. Moderately shade tolerant. Prefers rich, porous, moist to well-drained sandy soil but will grow in most soils. Most often planted for timber production, borders, and wildlife habitat. The wood is generally used for construction, millwork, and pulpwood. Provides food for deer, rabbits and squirrels. Very salt sensitive.

White Spruce Picea glauca Native

Height 50-85 ft. Slow growth rate. Also known as Canadian Spruce. Prefers wet to moist soil and tolerates shade. Heat and drought tolerant. Can be grown on a variety of soil conditions. Salt sensitive. Used for windbreaks, wildlife, Christmas trees.

Black Gum Nyssa sylvatica  Native  

Height 40-60 ft. Also known as Black Tupelo or Sourgum. Slow to moderate growth rate. This tree has outstanding scarlet fall color and lustrous dark green color in the summer.It is pyramidal when young and then opens with age. Widely adaptable to many soiltypes but prefers moist, well drained. It does not tolerate standing water. Grows in full to partial sun. Its small fall fruit attracts birds. The wood is used for pallets, rough floors, pulpwood and firewood. It is grown as an ornamental tree in parks and large gardens, with its often spectacular intense red to purple fall color being highly valued.

Black Walnut Juglans nigra Native

Height 60-80 ft. Full sun; very shade intolerant. Moderately fast growing. Valuable hardwood timber tree. Achieves best growth on moist sandy loams. Large tree, producing edible walnuts for human consumption as well as a winter food source for wildlife. Planted for timber and landscaping. The wood is used for furniture, veneer, and gun stocks. While many plants grow well in proximity to Black Walnut, there are certain plant species whose growth is hindered by this tree; Black Walnut trees produce a substance called juglone and sensitive plants may show toxicity symptoms anywhere within the area of root growth.

Paper Birch (Canoe Birch)  Betula papyrifera  Native  

Height 40-80 ft. Fast growing, prefers wet to moist soil and needs full sun. Paper birch is also known as white birch or canoe birch due to the white, peeling bark. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Tree is highly susceptible to the bronze birch borer, an insect pest whose larvae feed in the cambium just beneath the bark. Keeping trees healthy will help prevent borer attacks. Considered one of the most attractive trees in the forest; the ornamental characteristics are enhanced when planted in a close group as a double or multi-trunked tree.

Chestnut Oak Quercus prinus

Height 50-60 ft sometimes taller. Full sun. A large, stately tree. Best grown in sandy, or loamy well-drained soils. Often found on dry upland sites and sandy or rocky soils with low moisture-holding capacity. Drought tolerant. Showy fall colors of yellow, red, & copper. Acorns attract wildlife.

Chinkapin Oak    Quercus muehlenbergi Native 

Height 40-50 ft.-some taller. Growth rate slow to medium. Best growth in moist, well-drained limestone soils, adaptable to adverse soil conditions. Full sun. It does not have lobed leaves like most other oaks; its leaves are toothed like a chestnut. Planted for landscape or wildlife. Wood considered as white oak. The high quality acorns are a particularly important food item for the woodpeckers, northern bobwhite, and blue jay. Note: No shipping on seedlings.

Hackberry Celtis occidentalis Native

Height 40-60 ft. Full sun to part shade. Best grown in moist, organically rich, well-drained soils. Tolerates wind, many urban pollutants and a wide range of soil conditions, including both wet, dry and poor soils. Blooms April or May. Edible berries persist into winter. Attracts birds & butterflies.

Red Maple Acer rubrum Native      

Height 60-90 ft. Moderate to fast growing. Full sun to part shade. Able to grow on a wide variety of soil types. Leaves turn a brilliant red early in the fall. Used as a landscape tree, for re-vegetation, and is a valuable riparian buffer plant due to it’s tolerance of wet soils. The wood is not considered good for lumber or veneer. Seeds provide food for squirrels and some birds. Not preferred by deer as a browse source so it is considered deer resistant.

Quaking Aspen Populus tremuloides Native

Height 20-50 ft. Full sun. Best grown in rich, consistently moist, well-drained soils. Most noted for its beautiful white bark, its deep green foliage that quakes in the slightest breeze and its golden yellow fall foliage color. It has the widest geographical distribution of any North American tree. Planted for landscaping or restoration purposes. Attracts birds.

Sugar Maple Acer saccharum Native        

Height 40-80 ft. Slow to medium growth rate. Full sun to part shade. Easily grown in average, well-drained soil; prefers fertile, slightly acidic soil. Beautiful fall color. Very popular tree for ornamental and shade use. Squirrels feed on the seeds, buds, twigs and leaves. Commercially planted for maple syrup and lumber.

Sycamore (American Planetree) Platanus occidentalis Native  

Height 75-100 ft. Also known as American Sycamore, Buttonwood, American Planetree. Fast growing. Full Sun. Moisture loving; will grow on a variety of soils. Massive trunk and open crown of huge, crooked branches. The bark of large, old trunks sloughs off in scales or plates leaving a smooth, whitish inner bark. Globular heads of seeds hang from a stem 3 to 6 in. long in fall. Large, green, maple-shaped leaves turn brown in fall. A shade tree, Sycamore grows to a larger trunk diameter than any other native hardwood.

Tulip Poplar Liriodendrom tulipifera Native Height 60-100 ft and may reach up to 200 ft. Very fast growing. Also known as (Tulip tree, or yellow poplar). Tallest hardwood without the problems of weak wood strength or short life span. Grows best in loamy, moderately moist soils. Mature trees do not tolerate prolonged flooding. Prefers to be planted near other tulip trees. Yellow-green flowers in June. Should be planted where there is a lot of room for roots. Is sensitive to salt, soil compaction, heat, drought, frost. After planting, seedlings should be watered faithfully. Planted for timber and shade.

White Oak Quercus alba Native      

Height: 60-100 ft. Width: 60-80 ft. Slow Growing. Somewhat shade tolerant, but should be planted in full or partial sun. Prefers well drained, sandy, loam or clay soils. White Oak is native to Michigan. It is a stately tree that retains its leaves into winter. It has a deep taproot and its acorns provide important winter food for wildlife. White oak acorns are preferred by wildlife over red oak acorns because they are more palatable. The leaves have a red or brown to maroon color in the fall. White Oak is often planted as a shade tree and is less susceptible to Oak Wilt Disease than Red Oak. It is sensitive to soil compaction.

American Hazelnut Corylus Americana Native       

Height 6-15 ft. Wildlife shrub which grows best in well-drained, loamy soil. Full sun to partial shade. Large, thicket forming shrub. Best grown informally in naturalized areas, open woodland gardens or prairies where it can be allowed to spread. May be planted for ornamental due to its long, narrow, showy cluster of male flowers and its leaves are copper-red in fall. Needs to be planted in groups of at least 2 or 3 to ensure pollination. Good source of feed for wildlife; the nut is eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, blue jays, deer, grouse, turkey, and pheasant.

Arrowwood Viburum dentatum  Native   

Height: 6.00 to 10.00 feet, Bloom Time: May to June, Bloom : White, Sun: Full sun to part shade, Water needs: Medium, Suggested Use: Hedge

Tolerate: Clay Soil, Black Walnut

Button Bush Cephalanthus occidentalis Native Height 5-12 ft. , sometimes taller. Full sun to part shade. Grows well in wet soils; adapts to a wide range of soils except dry. Tiny, tubular, fragrant white flowers appear in dense, spherical, long-stalked flower heads in early to mid-summer. Long, projecting styles give the flower heads a distinctively pincushion-like appearance. Flower heads mature into hard spherical ball-like fruits consisting of multiple tiny two-seeded nutlets. Fruiting heads usually persist throughout the winter. Can be used in rain gardens, planted along streams, ponds. Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Can be used for erosion control.

Common Lilac Syringa vulgaris                

Height 8-15 ft. Moderate growth rate, large shrub. Adaptable to many soil types; prefers well-drained, slightly acidic, sandy to loam soil. Full sun to part shade. Large, spectacular, fragrant showy clusters of white or lavender flowers that bloom in spring. Effective as a specimen or massed, or may be grown as a hedge. Good for shrub borders.

Highbush Cranberry Viburnum trilobum Native Height 3-12 ft. Shrub. Adaptable to many soil types; prefers well drained loamy soils. Moderately shade tolerant. Frequently found throughout Michigan along streams, open swamps, and wet grounds. Produces clus-ters of white flowers. Bright red fruits persist well into winter, providing wildlife food and cover. Commonly used for hedgerows, landscaping, and wildlife habitat. Fruit is mildly toxic to humans in large amounts.

Meadowsweet Spirea   Pirea alba  Native  

Height: 3 to 4 feet Spread: 3 to 4 feet

Bloom Time: June to August Bloom Description: White

Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium to wet

Suggested Use: Hedge, Rain Garden, Attracts: Butterflies, Tolerate: Deer, wet soil

Upright, deciduous shrub which grows up to 4' tall and features alternate, narrow, toothed, green leaves and terminal, cone-shaped clusters (3-4" long) of tiny, white flowers that bloom in the summer. Fruits mature in September. Each fruit contains 5 pod-shaped follicles which dry out and split, thus allowing the seeds to disperse (somewhat like milkweed). Fruits do not have ornamental value. This species of spiraea is a native of the eastern and midwestern U.S. Typically found in the wild on wet prairies, wet river bottom prairies and open ground along streams or lakes.

Remove faded flower clusters as practicable to encourage additional bloom. Good cut flowers.

Red Bud Cercis Canadensis Native         

Height 15-30 ft. Slow growing, small tree. Full sun to part shade. Will grow in many soil types; prefers moist, well-drained loamy soil. At five years small, clustered, purple-lavender buds in early spring opening to pink-lavender flowers displayed before foliage emerges. For landscaping or in a woodland planting. Sensitive to salt and not tolerant to stress.

Red Osier Dogwood Cornus stolonifera Native

Height 3-15 ft. Medium to tall shrub. Prefers rich, moist soils; but will grow on most soils. Shade intolerant. Fruits are small white berry in late summer-early fall.. White flowers in June, Popular shrub for streambank stabilizations, landscaping, and wildlife plantings. Easily transplanted. Also known as Red Twig Dogwood.

 Serviceberry, Alleghany Amelanchier laevis Native

Height 15-25ft. Sometimes to 40 ft. Also known as Shadblow or Juneberry. Considered large shrub or small tree. Full sun to part shade. Moderate growth rate. Adapts to dry conditions but performs best in moist, well-drained soils. Showy, slightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters in April before the leaves. Small, round, edible berries which ripen to dark purplish-black in June & resemble blueberries in size, color and taste. Berries are often used in jams, jellies and pies. Leaves turn red-orange in fall. Attractive understory tree for lawns, shrub borders, woodland margins or native plant areas. Shrub forms can be grown as tall informal hedges or screens. Attracts many varieties of birds.

Serviceberry, Downy   Amelanchier arborea  Native 

Silky Dogwood Cornus amomum Native  

Large to medium-sized deciduous shrub. Found in swamp borders, wetlands, and near streams and ponds. This shrub is multi-stemmed, open, and rounded and may grow 6 to 12 feet tall.

Clusters of creamy white flowers bloom in the spring followed by blue drupes that ripen late summer. The leaves and twigs have silky hairs. A distinctive feature of this shrub is the dark brown pith of 1 to 2-year-old stems and dark-reddish twigs.

Prefers well-drained medium to wet acidic soils. It may be grown in full sun, partial shade, and even tolerates close to full shade. The roots need to be kept cool and moist during the summer. It is recommended that 2 to 4 inches of mulch be added to protect the plant's roots. If the shrub branches touch the ground they may form roots at the nodes. Thickets may result if the growth of the shrub is not controlled. The shrub also may be propagated by seeds, cuttings, or layering. Blooms from May to June.  The berry-like drupes appear in drooping clusters from August to September and attract many birds. The twigs are usually dark reddish-purple with fine hairs. The older bark is smooth and gray.This is a good shrub selection for moist to wet areas of the landscape. Consider the silky dogwood for moist woodlands, naturalized areas, or sites near streams/

White Flowering Dogwood Cornus florida Native      

Height: 25-30 ft. Spread 25-30 ft. Full sun promotes greatest flowering but tolerates partial shade, prefers a cool, moist, well drained acidic soil that contains organic matter. Not tolerant of heat, drought, pollution or road salt. Flowers are showy in spring. Leaves turn red-purple in fall. Glossy red fruits attract winter songbirds. Has four season appeal in flowers, fruits, fall color, bark and branching character.

Winterberry (Michigan Holly) Ilex verticilata Native     

Height 6-10 ft. Full sun to partial shade. Slow growing. Likes acidic, moist to wet soils, somewhat adaptable to soils that are occasionally dry. Best used in a group or mass planting, along borders, as a screen, in wet naturalized areas, and at the very edge of bodies of water. There are male & female plants—so need to plant in multiples to ensure female plants set fruit. Wildlife is attracted to the red berries that persist into winter unless eaten.

Witchhazel  Hamamelis virginiana  Native 

Deciduous shrub. Height: 15 to 20 feet. Spread: 15 to 20 feet. Bloom Time: October to December. Bloom Description: Yellow sometimes tinged with orange or red. Sun: Full sun to part shade. Water: Medium. Suggested Use: Hedge, Naturalize, Rain Garden. Flower: Showy, Fragrant. Tolerate: Deer, Erosion, Clay Soil. Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best flowering in full sun. Prefers moist, acidic, organically rich soils. Tolerates heavy clay soils. Promptly remove suckers to prevent colonial spread. Little pruning is required. Prune in early spring if necessary. A fall-blooming, deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to woodlands, forest margins and stream banks. Clusters of fragrant bright yellow flowers, each with four crinkly, ribbon-shaped petals, appear along the branches from October to December, usually after leaf drop but sometimes at the time of fall color. Fertilized flowers will form fruit over a long period extending through winter and into the following growing season. Fruits are greenish seed capsules that become woody with age and mature to light brown.

Cortland Apple Height 12+ feet. Full sun. Requires pollinator (planting with another apple variety that blooms at the same time for pollination)– see Ginger Gold. The sweet, juicy, slightly tart apples are good for eating raw, cooking, or making juice or cider. Cortland apples work well in fruit salads because the snow white apples are resistant to browning. Harvest in mid Sept. 

Fuji Apple   

Height 12-14 feet+  Bloom Character Early blooming, requires pollinator Fruit Characteristics Medium size fruit Growth Rate/Habit Spreading habit, average vigor Harvest Period Late October Site Requirements Full Sun Spacing 10-15 feet between trees, 18-22 feet between rows

Requires planting with another apple variety that blooms at the same time for pollination. 

Gibson Golden Apple 

Height 12-14 ft. Can be pruned shorter. Full sun. Produces crisp sweet-tart, yellow-gold fruit. Good all purpose. Average vigor tree growth, open and spreading. Highly productive, may need to be thinned if heavy crop. Harvest late September to early October. Often planted with other apple varieties as a pollinizer.

Ginger Gold Apple   Height 12+ ft. Full sun. Blooms mid-season. Sweet-tart, very crisp. Good all purpose. Requires planting with a different apple variety to insure pollination. Good pollinizer for Cortland or Braeburn. Ripens late Aug. to early Sept.

Lady in Red Apple  

Height 12-14 feet Bloom Character Early blooming, requires pollinator Fruit Characteristics Medium size fruit Growth Rate/Habit Spreading habit, average vigor Harvest Period Late Season Site Requirements Full Sun Spacing 10-15 feet between trees, 18-22 feet between rows. Has a crisp, sweet, and tangy flavor suited for fresh and cooked preparations. Requires planting with another apple variety that blooms at the same time for pollination.

Redfield Braeburn Apple Height 12+ ft. Full sun. Bright red, crisp & juicy with a sweet/ tart flavor. Good for eating, baking. Needs planting with a different apple variety to insure pollination. Braeburn and Ginger Gold can be planted together to pollinate each other.  Harvest in late fall.

Bartlett Pear  

A pear for both canning and fresh fruit eating. The fruit normally is of large size, has a smooth and attractive appearance with a golden-yellow color slightly blushed with red, sometimes dotted with russet. Its flesh is tender and juicy, buttery and of high dessert quality. Bears young and tree has a tendency for compact, upright growth. Requires planting with another European pear variety that blooms at the same time for pollination.

Comice Pear Height 15+ ft. Full sun. A well-known dessert & fresh eating pear. The skin color is golden yellow and sometimes tinged lightly with red. Blight resistance is good. Pollinizer needed; see Flemish Beauty pear or another European pear that blooms at the same time. Ripens late Sept into Oct.

Flemish Beauty Pear Height 15+ ft. Full sun. Hardy. Fire blight resistant . It has red blushed skin with yellow-white flesh. Great for fresh eating. Pollinizer needed; see Comice or another European pear that blooms at the same time. Harvest in mid-Sept.

Shenandoah Pear 

Height 10-15 ft. Full sun. Fruit size is large with traditional pear flavor. Blight resistance is good. Shenandoah stores very well. Pollinizer needed; Plant with another European pear that blooms at the same time.

Glohaven Peach Height 10 ft. Full sun. Self-fertile. Fruiting possible in 3rd year. Large peach with very little fuzz. Skin is red with a golden background. Good for canning, freezing, desserts. Freestone. Tree is vigorous, productive, and hardy. Ripens mid August.

Loring Peach Height 10-14 ft. Full sun. Self-fertile. Fruiting possible in 3rd year. Loring peach is a very attractive, large yellow peach with a hint on red blush. It has very firm, melting yellow flesh with excellent flavor. It is freestone and ripens in mid-season. It has gained a good reputation as one of the better eating peaches.

Red Globe Peach

Height 10-15 ft. in approximately 8 years. Plant in full sun. Self-fertile. Fruiting possible in third year. Red Globe is one of the most attractive peaches of its season with excellent flavor. The skin color is a highly blushed red over a golden background. This very large round fruit has yellow flesh with good quality and firmness. Excellent for fresh eating, canning, or freezing.

Redhaven Peach 

Height 10 ft. in approximately 8 years. Plant in full sun. Self-fertile. Fruiting possible in third year. Produces a reddish-yellow, freestone, juicy fruit. Excellent all-purpose peach. Open growth, average vigor tree. Highly productive—requires thinning. August harvest.

Benton Sweet Cherry 

Height 15 ft. and up but can be pruned to maintain height. Reaches maturity in 10 years. Produces fruit in 5-6 years. Plant in full sun. Winter Hardy. Growth rate average. Self – fertile. Very productive; produces large sweet, juicy fruit similar in size to a Bing cherry. Crack resistant. Harvest mid-season. Used for all purposes.

Sweetheart Sweet Cherry Height 15-20+ ft. Full sun. Self-fertile. Large, sweet, juicy, crack resistant fruit. Mid-season harvest. An excellent pollinizer for other cherries with the same bloom time. Good for eating, juice, canning, freezing, cooking, baking, dessert quality.

Sweetstar Peach 

Height 10-14 ft. in approximately 8 years. Plant in full sun. Self-fertile. Fruiting possible in third year. Dark red over yellow skin. Sweet tasting. This peach matures in August. The tree is vigorous and resistant to bacterial spot.