I am looking for some really unusual tropicals for my yard, beyond what one
finds at the chain nurseries. Interesting and "statement making" plants, if
you get my drift. I am located in temecula, ca and could pretty much drive
anywhere in southern california. I haven't yet found a nursery that has
anything really breathtaking. I found very unique specimens online, but they
are only available in seed form and I would rather plant a maturing plant
instead of crossing my fingers and hoping the seeds will germinate. Of course,
most of these plants probably won't want to live in Temecula, being that it is
a bit more desert-like than the coastal areas, but I still would want to give
it a try. I guess a nursery that is knowledgeable enough to tell me what
exotics stand the chance of surviving and which don't. . .would be a bonus.
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated in me finding a great tropical/exotic
nursery with stuff that "nobody else has".

If possible, please email me as well as posting here, so I know that there has
been a reply. Thanks again!
-Kevin

Try ordering from Stokes' Tropicals in Louisiana. Ever seen a variegated
banana tree? $200 and its yours.
zemedelec

"Editore25" wrote in message
...
I am looking for some really unusual tropicals for my yard, beyond what
one
finds at the chain nurseries. Interesting and "statement making" plants,
if
you get my drift. I am located in temecula, ca and could pretty much drive
anywhere in southern california. I haven't yet found a nursery that has
anything really breathtaking. I found very unique specimens online, but
they
are only available in seed form and I would rather plant a maturing plant
instead of crossing my fingers and hoping the seeds will germinate. Of
course,
most of these plants probably won't want to live in Temecula, being that
it is
a bit more desert-like than the coastal areas, but I still would want to
give
it a try. I guess a nursery that is knowledgeable enough to tell me what
exotics stand the chance of surviving and which don't. . .would be a
bonus.
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated in me finding a great
tropical/exotic
nursery with stuff that "nobody else has".

If possible, please email me as well as posting here, so I know that there
has
been a reply. Thanks again!
-Kevin


Not sure what you might consider 'exotic' - for a PNW'er, most of the
nurseries I have visited in SoCal feature plants I would certainly call
exotic - specimen sized strelitzia, tree aloes, spiny euphorbs, non-hardy
palms, gingers. Plant Depot in San Juan Capistrano has a great selection of
all sorts of tropicals if not necessarily exotics and there are 100's of
nurseries/growers in San Diego county that would surely offer something to
tickle your fancy. I'd just hop in the car and go cruising - stop at
anything that has a greenhouse (there's one or more on every block, it
seems) and see what they offer.

pam - gardengal

Yep; there is defintely some places in San Diego that would carry tropicals and
exotics and that is where I'm starting to narrow down my search. I live in
Temecula, which is basically the northernmost part of San Diego county. So I
was hoping to get a list of the best spots - it's hard for me to go cruising
looking around because I don't know the hot spots to go cruising in (san diego
county is a very large expanse). But I guess I can formulate a list as more
people reply and tell me their favorites

Yep; there is defintely some places in San Diego that would carry tropicals and
exotics and that is where I'm starting to narrow down my search. I live in
Temecula, which is basically the northernmost part of San Diego county. So I
was hoping to get a list of the best spots - it's hard for me to go cruising
looking around because I don't know the hot spots to go cruising in (san diego
county is a very large expanse). But I guess I can formulate a list as more
people reply and tell me their favorites

Editore25 wrote:
Yep; there is defintely some places in San Diego that would carry tropicals and
exotics and that is where I'm starting to narrow down my search. I live in
Temecula, which is basically the northernmost part of San Diego county. So I
was hoping to get a list of the best spots - it's hard for me to go cruising
looking around because I don't know the hot spots to go cruising in (san diego
county is a very large expanse). But I guess I can formulate a list as more
people reply and tell me their favorites

Is Pacific Tree Farms in Chula Vista still in business? They have (or at
least, used to have) unusual tropical fruit trees.

You also might try the list of nurseries at the Calif. Rare Fruit
Growers' website:
http://www.crfg.org/nurlist.html

cheers,

Marj (formerly from San Diego)
--
Marj Tiefert: http://www.mindspring.com/~mtiefert/
Mediterranean Garden Shop: http://stores.tiefert.com/garden/
In Sunset zone 14-mild