Pear tree prices up, partridges remain flat
The cost of a pear tree saw the biggest jump in PNC Wealth Management's annual Christmas Price Index, which compares yearly prices of the products described in "The 12 Days of Christmas." The cost of the pear tree jumped 44% from $89.99 to $129.99. PNC did not specify the size or type of pear tree used for the survey. "Robust commercial construction is sparking landscapers' demand for ornamental trees," said Jeff Kleintop, PNC Wealth Management chief investment strategist. The cost of the partridge remained flat at $15. Total price for all products mentioned in the song reached $18,920 in 2006, up 3.1%.
New EAB quarantine covers 3 states
USDA's APHIS more than doubled the size of the emerald ash borer (EAB) quarantine to include all of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. The pest is responsible for the death and decline of more than 25 million ash trees in the U.S. since 2002. If EAB is not contained or eradicated, it could cost state and local governments $7 billion during the next 25 years to remove and replace dead and dying ash trees, according to USDA. By the end of this year, USDA will have spent more than $100 million on EAB research, eradication and reforestation efforts. The quarantine restricts the movement of regulated articles including ash nursery stock. Three years of EAB survey data support the need to implement strict regulations on movement of host material, APHIS officials said.
Growers, groups respond to new quarantine
While the emerald ash borer quarantine has more than doubled, growers in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio have already drastically reduced ash inventory due to lack of demand. When states kept adding counties to their quarantines during the last few years, many growers scaled back or canceled ash production. "Many growers were forced to deplete their inventory for pennies on the dollar," said Bill Stalter, Ohio Nursery & Landscape Assoc. exec. dir. The decline in demand for this tree has hurt Illinois growers. "Ash is one of the top, if not the top-producing trees in the state of Illinois," said Dave Bender, Illinois Nurserymen's Assoc. exec. dir. "It's going to be a very difficult tree to replace." Wilson Nurseries in Hampshire Ill., started destroying ash trees about a year ago. "We kept a few so if the market is there, we can sell them. By the time we get rid of most of our production, we'll have destroyed about $6 million at market value worth of ash trees," said Roger Fick, Wilson Nurseries pres.
Costa buys Hines' Pennsylvania facility
Costa Farms, headquartered in Miami, purchased Hines Horticulture's Pipersville, Pa., facility. The site has 11 acres of production greenhouses. Costa Farms, which claims to be the nation's largest tropical foliage supplier, plans to use the facility to produce bedding plants for the Northeast. (305) 247-3248.
Correction
Berry Family of Nurseries purchased Thompson & Walters Nursery in Cornelius, Ore., and renamed the facility Zelenka West. (918) 456-7174.
Worth a visit
Where some people see a nursery, we see a body of complex parts and systems working together. This month we dissect overwintering. Only on GreenBeam.com.
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