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Action Theory Nursery


SubTropicRay

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Has anyone ever purchased palms from this nursery?  The "availability" list is quite impressive.  

Tampa, Interbay Peninsula, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10A

Bokeelia, Pine Island, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10B

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I think the CFPACS crew went to Action Theory on Friday of our Fall 2020 meeting.  I didn't get to go personally, but the folks that went really liked it.

Lakeland, FL

USDA Zone 1990: 9a  2012: 9b  2023: 10a | Sunset Zone: 26 | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (Jan. 1985, Dec.1962) | Record Low USDA Zone: 9a

30-Year Avg. Low: 30F | 30-year Min: 24F

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39 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Do they ship? :w00:

I was thinking the same, looks like good prices and inventory.

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4 minutes ago, amh said:

I was thinking the same, looks like good prices and inventory.

I'll email them tomorrow. If they mail order, I'm gonna grab 2 more L. Weddellanium for the office.  

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Yes, I have bought from them 3 or 4 times over the last 4 years. Great selection, knowledgeable staff. Filled up the trailer a couple of times. They don’t always have everything on the price list, but definitely worth a trip.

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Never got a response to my email, so I called them. Mi español es no bueno and the 2nd number on their website is a fax. 

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5 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Never got a response to my email, so I called them. Mi español es no bueno and the 2nd number on their website is a fax. 

E mailed yesterday and got a prompt response.. $200.00 minimum on mail orders, no shipping to CA.. 

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Just now, Silas_Sancona said:

E mailed yesterday and got a prompt response.. $200.00 minimum on mail orders, no shipping to CA.. 

In their listing near the bottom it says "1 gallon are USUALLY not for sal...Please ask"  I'd imagine that shipping 3g or bigger palms is pretty expensive.  Did you happen to ask about that?  I'm sure I could come up with $200 worth of palms....  :D

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2 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

In their listing near the bottom it says "1 gallon are USUALLY not for sal...Please ask"  I'd imagine that shipping 3g or bigger palms is pretty expensive.  Did you happen to ask about that?  I'm sure I could come up with $200 worth of palms....  :D

That i didn't,  but are considering it for other things " on my list they have listed "  Was also told any mail orders would wait until the person who responded was back in the nursery. Is supposedly out of the country atm. 

Imagine, since you're just up the road -relatively speaking- they might make an exception w/ smaller things for you/ others there.  I myself would be exiting the nursery w/ desired plants packed in the car if still there in FL. Heck, lol $200.00 might just get me there and back ..from here ( close to it ).  Not sure i'm up for driving for 18+ hours right now though, if i could.

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Lots of interesting things on my list were on theirs too.  I went there in March and they had NOTHING.  The plants were listed and a price too but no palms.  I was told it's what they have had or could get in their inventory.  Lots of false advertising if you ask me. 

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Tampa, Interbay Peninsula, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10A

Bokeelia, Pine Island, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10B

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  • 3 weeks later...

They do have lots of 1 gallon material started, but DO NOT sell it,claiming they wouldn't make much on the sale. Also,they are very concerned about competitors visiting the nursery for some reason; so be prepared to answer a lot of questions if visiting in person, before gaining their trust.

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Mesa, Arizona

 

Temps between 29F and 115F each year

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I emailed and got a quick response. The person that responded is out of the country and mail orders are 200$ minimum. 

T J 

T J 

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Yes they have good material, and prices but much of what is on their price list is non existent. It seems like some of the species on the list they have never even grown. I had an order from Action Theory brought to central Florida by a plant transportation service (only cost $60, which I split with my neighbor who was in on the order). They shipped 3 plants of the wrong species even though I used scientific names to order, which they also use on their site. The 3 plants wouldn’t be worth paying the driver to return. Claude the owner of Action Theory issued me a credit for the mistake and let me keep the mistake plants, which I didn’t really even want. I was expecting a refund since I don’t live near the nursery but I guess the credit will give me incentive to head to Homestead or make another large order.

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  • 3 months later...

I bought from them in May of this year I believe. I saw their online product list and they had what I wanted. When I called to confirm, they told me they had them but only in larger sizes.

 

I went in person to buy it and saw many palms of all sizes and as other posters stated, they have many palms in small sizes that they wont sell-only larger sized palms. That was disappointing but I got my palm and it was very root bound, so I think they know they need to get rid of the larger stuff (it was even rooted into the ground).  If you speak Spanish, the staff is very helpful and kind. The one guy in charge, even with Spanish, is crusty. They have all kinds of impressive palms and it's a large operation. I think most of the people who shop here are people who are sourcing larger palms for mansions and large and expensive yard renovation projects....not the average homewoner fot the yard.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 9/5/2021 at 1:47 PM, chinandega81 said:

I bought from them in May of this year I believe. I saw their online product list and they had what I wanted. When I called to confirm, they told me they had them but only in larger sizes.

 

I went in person to buy it and saw many palms of all sizes and as other posters stated, they have many palms in small sizes that they wont sell-only larger sized palms. That was disappointing but I got my palm and it was very root bound, so I think they know they need to get rid of the larger stuff (it was even rooted into the ground).  If you speak Spanish, the staff is very helpful and kind. The one guy in charge, even with Spanish, is crusty. They have all kinds of impressive palms and it's a large operation. I think most of the people who shop here are people who are sourcing larger palms for mansions and large and expensive yard renovation projects....not the average homewoner fot the yard.

You're right. Action Theory sells landscape-sized plants. They don't usually sell one gallons because they are growing the palms from seed into larger sizes. They have a huge selection, but their price list is out of date. They're also slow in stepping things up, so many of the larger plants are pot-bound. I've known Claude Roatta, the owner, a long time. He's very nice and an experienced grower. He has experimented in growing all sorts of things that you don't often see in South Florida, such as Jubaeopsis. He's offered some highly unusual palms in the past, when he was one of the supporting members of Montgomery Botanical Center's seedbank. He has a Hawaiian connection and occasionally brings stuff in from there. He loves growing from seed.

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18 hours ago, hbernstein said:

You're right. Action Theory sells landscape-sized plants. They don't usually sell one gallons because they are growing the palms from seed into larger sizes. They have a huge selection, but their price list is out of date. They're also slow in stepping things up, so many of the larger plants are pot-bound. I've known Claude Roatta, the owner, a long time. He's very nice and an experienced grower. He has experimented in growing all sorts of things that you don't often see in South Florida, such as Jubaeopsis. He's offered some highly unusual palms in the past, when he was one of the supporting members of Montgomery Botanical Center's seedbank. He has a Hawaiian connection and occasionally brings stuff in from there. He loves growing from seed.

Why not sell smaller sized palms on a large scale though, that could be sold for retail at other locations in Florida? It seems like a lot of what they have grows easily and fast....I would love to see something other than queen palms at a garden center. They could stock a lot of the local retail nurseries with manageable size palms for local homeowners. Even coconut palms and royal palms are rarely sold in garden centers in South Florida for some reason...if you go to a Home Depot here, you may as well be in Jacksonville: citrus (which we can't grow here for a myriad of reasons) are always in stock, never any mangos, which is porbably the most popular yard tree here, coconuts are rarely if ever sold, despite being easy to grow and popular, queen palms are always in stock, despite not doing well here or in hurricanes. I see a lot of their merchandise is from Costa Farms, I don't get why the big nurseries don't sell more popular or attractive plants in South Florida. Coconuts and mangos are bullet proof here, no worry about them dying. Meanwhile, queens and citrus croak left and right, and get returned undoubtedly.

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2 hours ago, chinandega81 said:

Why not sell smaller sized palms on a large scale though, that could be sold for retail at other locations in Florida? It seems like a lot of what they have grows easily and fast....I would love to see something other than queen palms at a garden center. They could stock a lot of the local retail nurseries with manageable size palms for local homeowners. Even coconut palms and royal palms are rarely sold in garden centers in South Florida for some reason...if you go to a Home Depot here, you may as well be in Jacksonville: citrus (which we can't grow here for a myriad of reasons) are always in stock, never any mangos, which is porbably the most popular yard tree here, coconuts are rarely if ever sold, despite being easy to grow and popular, queen palms are always in stock, despite not doing well here or in hurricanes. I see a lot of their merchandise is from Costa Farms, I don't get why the big nurseries don't sell more popular or attractive plants in South Florida. Coconuts and mangos are bullet proof here, no worry about them dying. Meanwhile, queens and citrus croak left and right, and get returned undoubtedly.

Large growers sell what they can propagate, grow fast, and sell quickly. They don't give a damn about esthetics, environmental suitability, or invasiveness, as long as those factors don't effect their profitability.

Home Depot obviously sources much of its material from nurseries from Central Florida, etc. They also tend to use fewer and fewer large growers. The plant material selection comes down to whatever's offered, as well as the latest hot cultivars and potted displays of the season. The changes in their local garden centers mirror the overall changes in the stores, i.e. less diverse and crappier. 

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1 minute ago, hbernstein said:

Large growers sell what they can propagate, grow fast, and sell quickly. They don't give a damn about esthetics, environmental suitability, or invasiveness, as long as those factors don't effect their profitability.

Home Depot obviously sources much of its material from nurseries from Central Florida, etc. They also tend to use fewer and fewer large growers. The plant material selection comes down to whatever's offered, as well as the latest hot cultivars and potted displays of the season. The changes in their local garden centers mirror the overall changes in the stores, i.e. less diverse and crappier. 

Agree w/ this 100%

 This is where consumer self awareness / education, and overall accountability / pressure comes into play..  These growers can only get away with this if people keep buying from them. Can't survive / will have to change / get out of the way of those who would bring about change if they can't squeeze money out of the makes  " educated " decisions  kind of customer.  The educated will help bring about wayy overdue changes in the industry.  It is up to newer growers who think outside the box, ..and other educated / aware " plant people "  to continue encouraging / sustain these changes.

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