Seedling Sales

We usually recommend planting a mix of species using the guidelines below. Western larch is the “bread and butter” of north Idaho tree planting with fast early growth, good survival, and suitability for most soils in the region.

Western larch (sometimes called tamarack) is suitable for most sites except for dry, rocky ridges dominated by ponderosa pine. Larch responds well to planting and usually has fast growth in the first year and good planting survival.

This species is also resistant to root rot diseases making it a good choice to replace diseased grand fir following a harvest. Larch needs plenty of sun for the best growth, so planting is best in open areas or burned slash piles rather than beneath a canopy.

White pine is a good choice for wet, productive sites that have cedar or hemlock as indicator species. White pine does not have fast early growth compared to larch, but over a 40-year timber rotation, it will produce more board foot volume per acre than any other native Idaho conifer.

All JDFM white pine is genetically bred to be resistant to white pine blister rust, the most severe disease affecting this species. After planting make sure you plan for pruning the trees in 10 years or so to manage the risk of blister rust.

Ponderosa pine is adapted to the driest sites in Idaho, especially thin-soiled ridges and south or west-facing aspects. It is resistant to root rot diseases so is often a good choice to replace diseased Douglas-fir on these dry sites.

Dry sites like this often need herbicide site preparation to deal with tough brush competition. Spring deer and elk browsing of the seedlings can also be an issue so planning for seedling bud capping is also a good idea.

Douglas-fir is very adaptable and is suitable for essentially all soil types in north Idaho. On dry south or west facing sites Douglas-fir is very vulnerable to deer and elk browsing in the spring and often needs bud capping.

Douglas-fir is susceptible to root rot diseases, so if root rot was a problem on your site before harvesting then planting a high percentage of Douglas-fir may cause the same issues.

Cedar produces very valuable wood and is the “money tree” in north Idaho. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to regenerate cedar with planting.

Cedar is extremely susceptible to deer and elk browse, so if you plan on planting cedar then also plan on tree tubing or deer fencing the area. Cedar prefers wet, productive sites with partial shade, so planting areas with some overstory canopy or shade from adjacent stands will generally have better survival.