MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOREST SERVICE

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Tree Seed Sourcing 101

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​​Thank you for being a steward of future forests by joining our tree seed collection efforts to support the Maryland Forest Service’s John S. Ayton State Forest Tree Nursery in Preston, Maryland. Be on the lookout every late summer/fall for any of the following species listed in Table 1 (​reverse), and reach out if there are others you’d like to collect!

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  • Materials
    Burlap bags or paper lawn/leaf bags, gloves, tarp, rake, and enthusiasm! Remember, look out for yourself when collecting seed. Pack food, water, sunblock, bug spray, and other essentials. Wear long sleeves and pants when collecting seed to minimize the risk of ticks and protect from briars. ​

  • Collection
    Get seed as soon as it is mature and be sure to inspect! No cracks, dried-out looking seed or seed with holes from wildlife damage such as insects. When tree seed falls from a branch, most of the time it has ripened, and it is best to collect soon after that. Seed will over-ripen and not germinate well or be susceptible to insect attack if fruits or pods stay on the tree or ground too long. See Table 1 for more details. ALWAYS LEAVE SOME BEHIND FOR WILDLIFE!

  • Storage
    All tree seeds need to be stored in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight in a paper or burlap bag. Do not use plastic bags to collect seed as it can over-ripen and ferment. We do not recommend storing seed inside your home, as it can bring in bugs. Keep species separated…DO NOT MIX SPECIES IN BAG!! Label all bags.

  • Delivery
    It’s best to collect and deliver seed within the same week. If you cannot deliver the seed yourself, contact the MD Forest Service at forest_service.dnr@maryland.gov. If delivering to a drop-off location, please email the MD Forest Service before dropping off bagged seed to give advance notification. ​

    • an acorn with a weevil next to it. A weevil looks like a small white worm with a red head Additional Notes

    • ACORN WEEVILS:
      ​Weevil eggs are laid in acorns in midsummer, and larvae feed inside the nut until fall. This damages the acorn, and it will not grow into a tree. Weevils leave a tiny hole in acorns. Keep a lookout for these! (photo right)​
    • A reminder to all: Please label your bags and put leaf of species collected in the bag with seed if possible.


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​Questions? the Maryland Forest Service ​at ​forest_service.dnr@maryland.gov​​.

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Eastern Redbud

 
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​Species Name
Eastern Redbud;
​​ Cercis canadensis

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Identification
​ Leaf of Eastern Redbud ​ seed of Eastern Redbud

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Collection Tips
Collect Redbud seeds in fall when pods turn brown.

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Flowering Dogwood

 

​Species Name
Flowering Dogwood;
​​ Cornus florida

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Identification
​ Leaf of Dogwood seed of Dogwood

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Collection Tips
Collect Flowering Dogwood fruit in the fall, once the fruit skin is red and it begins to soften.

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Chestnut Oak

 
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​Species Name
Chestnut Oak;
​​ Quercus montana

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Identification
​ Leaf of Chestnut Oak seed of Chestnut Oak

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Collection Tips
Collect Chestnut Oaks in early fall, preferably within 3 days of falling from the tree. If it has a sprout, hole or crack, then throw it back!

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White Oak

 

​Species Name
White Oak;
​​ Quercus alba

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Identification
​ Leaf of white oak​ seed of white oak

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Collection Tips
Collect White Oak acorns in early fall when they are green or just turning brown, since this species germinates almost immediately. If it has a sprout, hole or crack, then throw it back!

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Black Chokeberry

 

​Species Name
Black Chokeberry;
​​ Aronia melanocarpa

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Identification
​ Leaf of chokeberry seed of Eastern chokeberry

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Collection Tips
Collect in late August typically when fruit is black.

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Wild American Plum

 

​Species Name
Wild American Plum;
​​ Prunus americana

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Identification
​ Leaf of Wild American Plum seed of Wild American Plum

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Collection Tips
Collect Wild American Plum fruits in late summer to late fall.

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Spicebush

 
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​Species Name
Spicebush;
​​ Lindera benzoin

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Identification
​ Leaf of Spicebush seed of spicebush

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Collection Tips
Collect in late summer into fall when fruit has turned red.

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Witch Hazel

 
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​Species Name
Witch Hazel;
​​ Hamamelis virginiana

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Identification
​ Leaf of Witch Hazel​ seed of Witch Hazel

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Collection Tips
Collect in fall before brown seed capsules begin to open and expel seed.

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ALWAYS REMEMBER TO LEAVE 

​SOME FRUITS AND SEEDS BEHIND FOR WILDLIFE!

Chipmunk Stuffed with Seeds - Photo: Christopher Brown​


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Before collecting, consider the following…

  • Are you allowed t​here, or do you need to get permission from the property owner or land manager?

  • Do the trees there look healthy? If a tree looks visibly unwell, the seed may not be viable.

  • Do you see enough seed to collect?For oaks, we require a minimum of 10-15 pounds of acorns per species per volunteer. This equates to two 5-gallon buckets full approximately. For all other species, we’ll take as much as we can get. Certain trees may not produce seed every year!

  • If you’re picking a tree with seed still on branches, are there low-hanging branches for easier collection?

  • Is the ground around the tree relatively clear to work in?​ (A site with low-cut grass or bare ground below the tree where tree seed has fallen is an ideal collection spot to lay down a tarp and gently shake a tree to collect seed and makes it much easier to rake up seed already on ground and gather as opposed to overgrown understory to pick through.)

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