Missouri State Tree Nursery
Mike Flaoni, director of George O. White State Forest Nursery, stands in front of the home he lives in on the nursery property on Monday, March 17, 2025 in Licking, Mo. Having someone at the nursery at all times can give timely warning on unpredictable problems from flooding to animals digging up seeds and stealing budding fruit.
Mike Flaoni, director of George O. White State Forest Nursery, shows Kentucky coffee tree seeds on Monday, March 17, 2025 in Licking, Mo. The nursery grows 36 types of trees and ships them as buds across the state.
George O. White State Forest Nursery grows 36 types of trees and ships them as buds across the state.
Mike Flaoni, director of George O. White State Forest Nursery, holds a bundle of cottonwood cuttings in the cooler on Monday, March 17, 2025 in Licking, Mo. The cuttings go into the ground to grow a new cottonwood tree.
Mike Flaoni, director of George O. White State Forest Nursery, explains how a tree listen cuts under the roots of tree buds then shakes the earth around the roots loose on Monday, March 17, 2025 in Licking, Mo.
Bob Garrett watches the progress of the tree bud lifter as he slowly drives the tractor over a row of shoemard oak buds on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo. The harvester’s blade lifts the buds from the earth before they are forced over a set of vibrating tines that shake much of the dirt lose around the roots.
the roots of shoemard oak trees on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo.
A team of tree pickers follow the slow moving tractor pulling a lifter leaving a row of shoemard oak buds for them to further shake free of earth, then collect on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo.
Tree pickers Whitley Hayes, left, and Elizabeth Huff collect and pack shoemard oak buds into tubs on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo. After collection in the field, the buds will go through a process of inspection, storage and packing before arriving to customers through UPS.
Sarah Cooper, right, tosses a tub of shoemard oak tree buds onto a trailer on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo. The tractor takes the buds to a cooler where they will be wetted and stored until packaging for order fulfillment.
Shayla Arnold wets shoemard oak buds that just came from collection in the field for storage in a cooler on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo. Moisture and temperature in the multi-room cooler are under close attention to prolong the storage life of tree buds and cuttings.
Shoemard oak buds stacked in a cooler room at George O. White State Forest Nursery on Monday, March 17, 2025 in Licking, Mo. Moisture and temperature in the multi-room cooler are under close attention to prolong the storage life of tree buds and cuttings.
Among tree graders working on a conveyor belt line, Joani Walton inspects each sycamore tree bud in her pile for height, straightness, thickness and healthy roots on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo. Tree buds that pass inspection move down the conveyor belt to a bundling station; those that don’t go in a refuse bin.
Joani Walton drops sycamore tree buds that did not pass inspection for height, straightens, thickness and healthy roots into a refuse bin on the inspection line on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo.
Gloves, gauntlets and safety glasses used by workers handling tree buds on a bench on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo.
Tom Stanton bundles and stacks sycamore tree buds at the end of the conveyor belt on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo. Bundling speeds the order fulfillment process and assures customers receive the correct number in their order.
Christina Arnold grabs a handful of moss to place with tree buds in paper wrapping on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo. The moss adds padding and preserves moisture within the package as the order ships to the customer through UPS.
Left to right, Nate Northgraves, Christina Arnold and Penny Green wrap an order of tree buds in tear-proof paper for shipment to the customer through UPS on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo. Shipments go out from the nursery Monday through Wednesday to assure arrival before the weekend halt that could dry them out.
Tonya Foster boxes orders of tree buds for shipment through UPS on Monday, March 17, 2025 at George O. White State Forest Nursery in Licking, Mo.
Mike Flaoni, director of George O. White State Forest Nursery, takes a phone call in his office on Monday, March 17, 2025 in Licking, Mo.