Every year the South St. Louis SWCD offers a wide selection of native trees and shrubs for purchase at a reasonable price. These trees are picked up by the purchaser in May. Orders can be placed by sending a check and completed order form to the SWCD or via an online order. All online orders are subject to a 4% online convenience fee.
1/16/2025
The 2025 sale is almost here. We expect to offer just under 40,000 trees and shrubs this year, all supplied by the MN DNR State Nursery.
- The online store will open February 10, 2025 at 10:00am. Enter using the button at the bottom of this page.
- Order forms are being finalized and are expected to be mailed the week of January 27th. Mail orders will be processed in the order received starting at 10:00am February 10, 2025.
- The minimum order for individual orders through the DNR has dropped to 300 trees this year. If you’re expecting to place a large order, purchasing directly through them may be a good option.
Varieties offered for 2025 will include:
Shrubs/Small Trees: Pin Cherry, Choke Cherry, Red-Osier Dogwood, Silky Dogwood, Wild Plum
Tall Trees: Hackberry, Bitternut Hickory, Silver Maple, Sugar Maple, Bur Oak, Red Oak, White Oak, Swamp White Oak
Evergreens: Black Spruce, Eastern Red Cedar, Northern White Cedar, Jack Pine, Norway (Red) Pine, White Pine, White Spruce
2025 Pickup Information and Locations
Duluth – 218-723-4867
Proctor Fairgrounds
800 N. Boundary Ave., Duluth
Thursday, May 8 – 3:00pm – 6:00pm
Friday, May 9 – 9:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday, May 10 – 9:00am – 11:00am
Two Harbors – 218-834-8370
Lake County SWCD
408 E. 1st Ave., Two Harbors
Friday, May 9 – 8:00am-5:00pm
**Please pull around to alley behind building to collect trees.**
Grand Marais – 218-387-3647
Storage Garage behind Cook County Community Center (Crechville Rd between Gunflint Trail and W 5th St.)
Thursday, May 8 – Noon – 4:00pm
How does the sale work?
1) Review tree and shrub descriptions to select the appropriate plant for your location
2) Place Order – online (scroll down for online store) or by mailing a completed form and check to the SWCD (found below)
3) Mark your calendar with your pickup date and location
4) Begin planning your planting so trees get in the ground asap!
5) Pick up your trees and have fun planting
Early ordering is recommended for best selection, as trees will sell out as sale progresses. After March 1st please check the updated website for availability before mailing in your order. You need not reside or own property in south St. Louis County to purchase trees and shrubs from us. Tree Sale trees cannot be resold. We do not offer refunds or cancellations on orders. If you need to make a change, contact the office and we will try to accommodate.
*Printable 2025 Order Form Available late January*
Frequently Asked Questions
Find a cool, shaded spot of earth next to something you can lean the trees against. Set the roots directly in the dirt, wrap the outside of the roots in burlap or an old bath towel, and water multiple times a day. Keep the roots wet, the burlap/towel will help if you keep it soaked. Do not submerge roots in a bucket of water, they will drown.
Ideally, as soon as you get them home. Realistically, get them in the ground within a few days. Much past a week after pick-up is pushing it. The trees need to be tended to daily (see above), so it will be easier on you and the trees to plant them quickly. It’s best if you can make your planting plans before you pick them up!
No, most of the trees will easily fit in a car. Look at the order form for the heights of the trees. We will wrap the roots in a bag so your car doesn’t get dirty.
Unfortunately we can’t break down the bundles. However, you can split an order with someone else. We ask that you coordinate the splitting of the bundles yourself, we aren’t able to hold your split bundles at the pickup location for fear of confusion with full bundles.
Then you’ll need to find someone to pick them up for you. We aren’t able to care for the trees after the last pick-up day.
We only sell Minnesota native trees and shrubs, as they not only thrive in our environment, but they also restore and reclaim land. We select trees that are available through our nurseries and are suitable for current needs in forestry. Often our inventory is determined by nursery availability. Year to year growing conditions change and what is offered changes with it.
If they’re hungry enough, we’ve all seen what deer can do to any plant. If deer are a problem in your yard, you can build cages or put fences up around your trees. Your local hardware store has all the supplies you’ll need, we do not sell any cages or tubes.
We do not sell trees that people have failed to pick up. The chances of having any extra unsold trees for sale are low, so call our office during the sale to see if anything is available. You may also ask when you pick up your pre-ordered trees if there are extras available for purchase.
We send email reminders about a week before pick-up starts. However, sometimes emails bounce back or our emails end up in your spam folder. Put it on your calendar straight away, and if you’re unsure of the dates just call or email us and we’ll be happy to get you the info you need.