Aquatic plant nurseries

[miamicuse]

You would think being in south Florida there would be a lot of aquatic plant nurseries around but no, I can't find one.  I mean, yes there are many, but they are all wholesale distributors not open for public.  There may be half a dozen local nurseries with an "aquatic corner" with a dozen plants nothing much as far as a selection.

The only choice seems to be online?

[metalfan]

There used to be a great one called Luster Gardens owned by a man named Craig Presnell. He was a friend of mine since the 1990's. If I remember right it was in Zolfo Springs. It used to be further south, but the land he was on was rented and the landlord decided to sell, forcing him to relocate. He was a great guy and hybridized his own water lilies. I used to have quite a few of his. Th purple one below was one of his called Midnight Serenade. The pink was called Dayglow Unfortunately he passed away a few years ago. .

 

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, miamicuse said:

You would think being in south Florida there would be a lot of aquatic plant nurseries around but no, I can't find one.  I mean, yes there are many, but they are all wholesale distributors not open for public.  There may be half a dozen local nurseries with an "aquatic corner" with a dozen plants nothing much as far as a selection.

The only choice seems to be online?

Unfortunately, that is the case..

You could contact one of the wholesellers,  like say FL. Aquatic Nurseries in Davie and see if they'd let you stop in..

Good nurseries won't say no to the occasional in - person visitor. 

[Palmarum]

3 hours ago, miamicuse said:

You would think being in south Florida there would be a lot of aquatic plant nurseries around but no, I can't find one.  I mean, yes there are many, but they are all wholesale distributors not open for public.  There may be half a dozen local nurseries with an "aquatic corner" with a dozen plants nothing much as far as a selection. ...

In Broward, one of the mainstays was Dania Beach Water Gardens but they closed in 2010. They had a spread of shallow, raised, rectangular ponds filled with a wide selection of aquatics; from the rare to the common. A fun place to explore and learn. The local plant societies would each have a field trip there at least once a year. Another phenomenal plant center was located at the Sears that was once part of the Broward Mall. They were an independent outfit and had a small, but decent selection of aquatics, but alas, they left when the Sears closed down. I haven't yet heard of any other retail places in Broward that do aquatics. 

For the wholesale places, contact them and see if they have an availability list and a minimum order amount. The amount might not be too high to consider a visit, and the list would allow you to plan what you want in advance so no need to browse. You can order ahead and pop in and out without annoying them. Be ready for soaking wet plants. I use cement and mortar mixing tubs. 

A further option would be multi-vendor plant sales. An aquatic plant vendor or two, sometimes even the backyard variety, may show up. It might require a trip further north as there seems to be a bigger interest in aquatics in the central part of the state. I have seen such vendors at Tropiflora's sale.

Ryan

 

P.S. - At one such field trip to Dania Beach Water Gardens they had a special for us attendees... free plants... with a catch and a twist. We had to get them ourselves and it was at night, past open hours, with no light and it was freezing cold. Many of the free plants were overgrown and needed to be thinned out, either by pot or by clump.

As determined plant lunatics we waded into the near blackness of the rectangular ponds, some in bare feet, grabbing and pulling plants as the January cold whipped across the water. Eagerness and robust plant addictions beat out common sense that night.