At White House Natives we take great pride in crafting a uniform and consistent native tree so that our customers can easily select matching trees in either small or large quantities for their various jobs or phases from year to year. The investment we make with these young trees pays dividends not only as they grow at the nursery but also as they mature in the landscape. It not only takes time but also knowledge of when and how to achieve this process at a high and consistent level and Eric and his team are up to the challenge.

The process starts with selecting premium liners that we personally inspect at our various growers each season to insure we are getting the right native trees to start with. Immediately after planting, our skilled team members install a fiberglass or bamboo stake next to each tree. They then use special nursery tying tape that flexes as the liners grow but is strong enough to keep the trees attached to the fiberglass stake to help form a straight trunk. The tape is tied around the tree and the stake at regular intervals. The flexible fiberglass stake and nursery tape allows the trees to move and build up trunk strength and caliper and not constrict growth. After the initial staking and tying, our team returns 2-3 times per season, usually in conjunction with pruning, to attach the new leader growth to the stake as it makes it way skyward. This helps insure a clear central leader with a balanced head. Once the tree reaches the top of the stake, usually after 2-3 growing seasons, an additional stake can be spliced in if needed, but generally the tree is vigorous enough and has had the guidance needed to maintain its leader and just gets regular pruning to shape and craft a uniform tree until it is sold and dug. This hands-on process is not necessary to grow a tree, but it is a necessary investment for White House Natives to insure that our native trees our consistent and meet or exceed the expectations of our customers.  Photos taken 22 May 2023.