Any reason it needs to be in the South? Also, what type of specific trees are you looking for. There are many very reputable online nurseries, but you need to narrow down what you are looking for

Not box stores driving nurseries out of business here but the seemingly unstoppable rise of that US import - the Garden Centre. True, everything is under one roof and you can buy an (overpriced ) drink while browsing...but their inventory is limited to maybe 2 types of certain perennials, a handful of common and popular favourites such as the hardy geraniums and absolutely nothing which has slipped off the top 40 list. Meanwhile, our wonderful nurseries, run by real expert plant growers, offering an unsurpassed range at half the cost (overheads) are vanishing because people apparently want to go on a coach trip - buy ornaments and jewellery and other tat and spend a morning in a coffee shop whilst being served by a clueless school-leaver on minimum wage. Even so, I can choose from a dozen small nurseries less than 25miles away which are often specialised and always a source of valuable advice. I think most of these will have vanished in my lifetime - although I still have faith in the egalitarian nature of gardening and the deep passions plants arouse in British gardeners. I have been a reluctant convert to mail order but on the plus side, I have become a lot more capable of propagating and producing my own stock. Seeing a much loved nursery close it's doors seems like a sad defeat for the free gardening spirit and a victory for capital driven, market solutions which do not sit well on this anarchist's shoulders.

In Southern California the polyphagous shot hole borer and Citrus Greening disease are poised to wreck havoc on the urban forest. Then there is the increasing human population density that is making lots very small and houses being built to the lot lines, eliminating space for trees.

I will second cearbhaill as I do not have anything remotely local or regional with JM selection. Through mail order I have been able to successfullly plant and grow more than 130 cultivars and 175 total JMs in the hot and humid SE (zone 8b). I have used many online sources and have had a variety of experiences. Since similar threads of this many years ago helped me get started and find sources, I thought doing the same could possibly be beneficial for others. As noted, these are my personal experiences and maybe be different than what others have experienced. Maplestone Ornamentals - excellent website, primarily smaller 1-2 or 2-3 year old grafts. Very good quality and good prices on plants and shipping. Maples N More - small family business, plants on the small size but unique varieties, good prices, responsive to fixing issues Mr Maple - I will no longer use them due to dissapointing issues. They sell lots of liners potted up to 1 gallon that have not come close to filling in the pot with roots. Essentially liners with extra dirt for 50 bucks. Quality has been inconsistent. Have not been impressed with bigger sizes and the shipping costs either. Iconic Gardens - they sell through ebay or their website. Great value, huge plants with the ability to get up to 5 year grafts for a great price in smaller pots that can ship for reasonable amount of money. Quality and selection are good. Maple Ridge Nursery - great website for descriptions of how each cultivar responds to my hot humid SE conditions. I have recieved healthy but undersized plants. Can be expensive both for plants and shipping. Davidson's - one of the most extensive collections both as reference material online and to purchase. Good quality, knowledgeable, responsive. Only downside is very expensive. Whitman Gardens - best value IMHO. Very big plants, healthy, extensive selection, straight forward knowledge and advice, Can get huge plants in smaller pots for great price on plants and shipping. Conifer Kingdom - nice website with pictures of actual plants. Can get larger sizes. Good quality, more limited selection. Pricing varies with some good deals and some quite oddly expensive that does not always match rarity of plant. Good customer care. Oriental Garden Supply - difficult website to navigate. Can get big sizes. Limited availability of many listings with many out of stock. Good quality plants at good prices. Topiary Gardens - excellent customer care with extensive selection of high quality 1,2,3 gallon plants that sell out quickly. Fair reasonable prices and shipping. Japanese Maples and Evergreens - they are on Amazon and other places. There are so many complaints about everything from horrible plants to horrible service I have stayed away myself. Acer1987 (Ebay). If you have the time to grow liners to big trees, this site has massive number of cultivars for good prices. Good customer care. I will otherwise second the opinions above of East Fork (expensive), Essence of Tree, Mendicino. Others have come and gone that I liked (Quality Maples for instance) that still have website up but are closed. Wish I had the opportunities that gardengal has with the range of great NW nurseries to shop from, but in the mean time I will keep Fed Ex busy! Thanks to all who have posted on this site over the years. I have been mainly lurking for more than a decade learning much and putting that knowledge to work.