Probably the Arkansas Highway Commission would be a good place to start, if you want to seek permission.

I just took several cuttings from Grocery Store Parking lots this week. I can't image that it is against the law. Is it?

Some of the clippings were those suckers from the bottom of the CM trees so I figured I was doing them a favor.

planted them right away using rooting hormone.

You should ALWAYS ask permission! What if you and a thousand other people decide to take cuttings of a particular plant at the restaurant, at the grocery, at the park, dentist's parking lot, Disney Worlld, on municipal property along the road? :-)

If it's not yours, you should ask first. Check with your City or County municipal departments. Most have a landscaping division with a director or superintendent in charge.

Ask for the manager at the grocery, or the owner of the business.

Believe me, if the thought of snitching one or two cuttings has crossed your mind, it has occurred to plenty of others ahead of and behind you.

Accumulatively, that constitutes property damage. Right? You simply have to ask; it's the right thing to do.

You will either get permission right away or you might get asked to wait until they can take the cuttings for you or they will ask that you don't. Whatever happens, they will appreciate that you asked.

I've asked and received permission to take cuttings and seeds from public parks, exotic nurseries, cemeteries, parking lots of businesses, and from the gardens of complete strangers who answered my knock on their doors.

Now I feel like a common thief. Won't do it again.

I went ahead and took a branch and was able to get three cuttings from it. Im so excited!