Plant
Nursery
Desert
Survivors
Native Plant
Nursery
is located
on the banks
of the Santa
Cruz River
in Tucson.
We grow
well
over 400
species
of bioregional
plants.
We have
chosen to
define bioregional
as plants
which are
native to
within 500
miles of
Tucson.
This allows
us to grow
plants from
the Sonoran
Desert,
Chihuahuan
Desert,
and Mohave
Desert,
although
our
primary
focus is
on plants
native to
southern
Arizona.
Over the
years, plants
of various
desert origin
have been
offered
at Desert
Survivors,
but we have
decided
to grow
only plants
indigenous
to our region.
Native plants
give us
a sense
of place,
and are
important
to supporting
native pollinator
populations
and fauna.
As Arizona
is the 3rd
most biodiverse
state in
the United
States,
we are not
at a loss
of species
to choose
from. In
fact, over
600 species
are native
to the Tucson
Mountains,
over 1000
species
are native
to the Rincon
Mountains
and over
1250 species
are native
to the Santa
Catalina
Mountains.
And this
is just
the diversity
found within
50 miles
of the Nursery,
not to mention
the rest
of southern
Arizona.
Desert
Survivors
Native Plant
Nursery
also feels
that is
important
to being
as ecologically
sensitive
as possible,
and thus
we
use organic
gardening
practices.
We use only
certified
organic
fertilizers,
herbicides
and fungicides
in the production
and maintenance
of the plants
that we
grow onsite.
We do not
use pesticides,
except for
a minimial
amount of
Safer Spray
on a handful
of juvenile
plants that
seem to
be insect
magnets
(such as
native milkweeds – once
these plants
are bigger
we are happy
to let the
aphids symbiotically
interact
with the
plants).
By not using
chemical
pesticides,
we have
observed
that beneficial
insects
generally
take care
of any insect
problems
onsite.
Also, insects
are typically
cyclical
and they
will only
eat plants
during a
specific
interval.
Often, the
damage caused
by insects
stimulates
growth hormones
in the plants
to produce
extremely
healthy
growth the
following
season.
(These comments
do not apply
for Agave
boring beetles,
Palo Verde
root borers,
etc., but
give our
basic philosophy
of looking
at insects
as good)
Although
it costs
more money
to buy these
high quality
organic
supplements,
it is worth
it for our
staff, employees,
the plants
as well
as the earth
that we
grow on.
We are
also huge
fans of
volcanic
soil supplements
and have
been quite
impressed
with the
results
of using
volcanic
cinder and
lava sand
in our soil
mixtures.
Again, spending
a little
extra money
on quality
soil supplements
is well
worth the
results.
Volcanic
supplements
are rich
in minerals
which seems
to be readily
released
into the
soil, as
well as
being porous
and well
drained.
The drainage
is what
has been
key in having
success
with many
different
species.
Although
we are not
able to
grow all
of the plants
that we
sell on
our small
three acre
plot, we
estimate
that we
produce
about 70%
of everything
here onsite.
It is our
goal to
expand our
growing
areas offsite
at some
point, and
be able
to grow
all of our
own plant
material.
Our inventory
includes
a wide selection
of trees,
shrubs,
subshrubs,
grasses
and vines. We
now have
our entire Plant
List on
the web!
We have
native plants
for native
birds and
insects,
including:
Plants
for Birds
Plants
for Hummingbirds
Plants
for Butterflies
Native
Trees
Native
Grasses
PLANT
NURSERY
1020 West
Starr
Pass
Tucson
AZ 85713
Hours:
8AM to
5PM, Tue.
- Sat.
Phone:
520-791-9309
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