The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District holds a Native Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale each spring. Typically there are two packages, one with trees that will grow to be larger canopy trees and the other with smaller trees and shrub species. The theme and exact species vary from year to year. Orders open online in March and are picked up in late April. For this year's package and online ordering, please go to: Native Seedling Sale
To differentiate between the seedlings, which can lovingly be described as looking like "twigs", we wrap a ribbon or flagging tape around each species pair and provide a color code. We often get questions about previous years' ribbon colors as our devoted customers who order a package each year try to remember what they planted. You can see this year's seedling ribbon colors and tips and tricks for planting your seedling in the Fairfax County Tree Basics Booklet from NVSWCD and the Fairfax County Tree Commission.
2023 Spring and Summer Berries and Blooms Package
American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) - Purple Ribbon
Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) - Black Ribbon
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) - Pink Ribbon
2023 Fall and Winter Fruits and Nuts Package
Allegheny Chinquapin (Castanea pumila) - Yellow Ribbon
American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) - Orange Ribbon
Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa) - White Ribbon
2022 Tree-mendous Flowers Package
Canadian Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) - White Ribbon
American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) - Orange Ribbon
Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) - Red Ribbon
2022 Un-bee-lieveable Blooms Package
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) - Pink Ribbon
Indigo Bush (Amorpha fruticosa) - Purple Ribbon
Silky Willow (Salix sericea) - Yellow Ribbon
2021 Super Shrubs and Tiny Trees Package
Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) - Blue Ribbon
Common Buttonbush (Cephalanthus accidentalis) - Green Ribbon
American Hazel (Corylus americana) - Orange Ribbon
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) - Pink Ribbon
2021 Space Savers and Bountiful Berries Package
New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)- White Ribbon
Spicebush (Rhus aromatica)- Yellow Ribbon
Aromatic Sumac (Rhus aromatica) - Red Ribbon
Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) - Purple Ribbon
2019 Shrub and Small Tree Package
American Wild Plum (Prunus americana) - Red Ribbon
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) - Orange Ribbon
American Elderberry(Sambucus canadensis) - Yellow Ribbon
Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) - Black Ribbon
American Hazelnut(Corylus americana) - Green Ribbon
2019 Tree Package
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - White Ribbon
American Persimmon(Diospyros virgniana) - Blue Ribbon
Common Hackberry(Celtis occidentalis) - Purple Ribbon
2019 EXTRAS
Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) - Lime Green Ribbon
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) - Pink Ribbon
2018 Shrub and Small Tree Package
Witch-hazel (Hamemelis virginiana) - Yellow Ribbon
False Indigobush (Amorpha fruticosa) - Purple Ribbon
Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) - White Ribbon
Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) - Blue Ribbon
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) - Green Ribbon
2018 Tree Package
Redbud (Cercis canadensis) - Pink Ribbon
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) - Orange Ribbon
Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata) - Black Ribbon
Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) - Red Ribbon
2017 Shrub and Small Tree Package
Common Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) - Black Ribbon
Grey Dogwood (Cornus racemosa) - White Ribbon
Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) - Purple Ribbon
New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) - Green Ribbon
Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) - Blue Ribbon
2017 Tree Package
Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) - Red Ribbon
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) - Yellow Ribbon
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) - Orange Ribbon
2016 Shrub and Small Tree Package
Red Chokeberry (Photinia pyrifolia) - Red Ribbon
Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) - Blue Ribbon
Indigobush (Amorpha fruitcosa) - Green Ribbon
American Hazelnut (Corylus americana) - Yellow Ribbon
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - White Ribbon
2016 Tree Package
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) - Pink Ribbon
American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) - Black Ribbon
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) - Orange Ribbon
2015 Shrub and Small Tree Package
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) - Orange Ribbon
Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) - Blue Ribbon
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) - Red Ribbon
Red Chokeberry (Photinia pyrifolia) - Yellow Ribbon
Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) - White Ribbon
2015 Tree Package
River Birch (Betula nigra) - Black Ribbon
Willow Oak (Quercus phellos) - Green Ribbon
Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata) - Pink Ribbon
2014 Shrub and Small Tree Package
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) - Yellow Ribbon
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) - Blue Ribbon
Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) - White Ribbon
Indigobush (Amorpha fruticosa) - Pink Ribbon
American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) - Green Ribbon
2014 Tree Package
American Plum (Prunus americana) - Orange Ribbon
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) - Red Ribbon
Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) - Black Ribbon