What is the largest plant sale in California?

15 years ago

How many plants? How many varieties? Any other interesting facts about the sale? You'd think this info would be on the internet, but it's not!

Featured Answer

gardenguru1950

15 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

We have LOTS of plants sales in California, of all sizes. Most are pretty different from others and each deserves a look. Some are specialty sales, others big, fund-raising sales.

Are you coming to visit us soon? Or are you putting together a list of plant sales in California for others?

Here's a list that I've put together. I've made some changes (I think) based on input from this forum. But it might need some updating. Many of these sales have websites and many of them show availabilty list for upcoming sales;

PLANT SALES & FLOWER SHOWS

January -- South Bay Spring Home & Garden Show
Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA
www.southbayhomeshow.com

February -- Alameda County Spring Home & Garden Show
Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, CA
510-682-7227
www.capitalshowcase.com/alameda.html

February -- Peninsula Spring Home & Garden Show
San Mateo Expo Center, San Mateo, CA
1-800-765-3976
www.peninsulahomeshow.com

February -- Markham Regional Arboretum
The plant sales are held at the Garden Center located at 1202 La Vista Avenue in Concord.
925-681-2968
http://home.earthlink.net/~markhamarboretum/plantsales.html

February -- Descanso Gardens
Camellia Festival and Camellia Plant Sale
1418 Descanso Drive
La Cada Flintridge, CA 91011
818-949-4200

March -- UC Irvine Arboretum
Spring Plant Sale
North Campus Drive and Jamboree Road, Irvine
Early spring perennials and spring bulbs will be on sale
(949) 824-5833

March -- Fresno Home & Garden Show
Fresno Fairgrounds, Fresno, CA
800-897-7899
www.fresnoshows.com/cgi-bin/sitepage.pl?pg_id=2

March -- San Francisco Flower & Garden Show
Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA
800-829-9751
http://www.gardenshow.com

March -- Ventura County Home & Garden Show
Ventura County Fairgrounds, Ventura, CA
800-222-9351
www.capitalshowcase.com/ventura.html

March -- Yuba City Total Home, Garden & Recreation Show
Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds, Yuba City, CA
530-671-9600
www.totalhomeshow.com/Spring_Home_and_Garden_Show.htm

March -- Long Beach Home & Garden Show
Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, CA
www.sbhomeshow.com/mar28-30-show.asp

March -- Contra Costa Spring Home & Garden Show
Sleep Train Pavilion, Concord, CA
510-682-7227
www.capitalshowcase.com/contra.html

April -- American Bamboo Society; The Northern California Chapter
"Annual Spring Bamboo Festival, Sale and Auction"
San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park.
ncal-chapter@americanbamboo.org

April Â California Horticultural Society
"Specialty Nursery Plant Sale", In collaboration with a variety of specialty nurseries
Lakeside Garden Center in Oakland

April -- AnnieÂs Annuals
"Spring Party"
740 Market Ave., Richmond, CA
http://www.anniesannuals.com/info/ohouse/default.asp

April -- Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
Spring Plant Sale
1500 N. College Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
909-625-8767
or website: www.rsabg.org

April -- Fullerton Arboretum
"Green Scene Plant Sale & Garden Show"
$6 admission 1900 Associated Rd. Fullerton, CA 92831
714-278-3579
A large multi-vendor sale

April -- Markham Regional Arboretum
The plant sales are held at the Garden Center located at 1202 La Vista Avenue in Concord.
925-681-2968
http://home.earthlink.net/~markhamarboretum/plantsales.html

April -- Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
Spring Plant Sale
1500 N. College Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
For further information, call (909) 625-8767
or check our website: www.rsabg.org
Native California plants

April -- San Jose Home & Garden Show and Plant Sale
San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, CA
www.sanjosehomeshow.com

April -- UC Berkeley Botanic Garden
Spring Plant Sale
200 Centennial Drive #5045
Berkeley, CA 94720-5045
510-643-2755
http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/program/index.shtml

April -- UC Santa Cruz Arboretum
Spring Plant Sale
Held in the Eucalyptus Grove.
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
(831) 427-2998 phone
(831) 427-1524 fax
http://www2.ucsc.edu/arboretum/calendar.html
arboretum@cats.ucsc.edu.

May Â Cabrillo College
Annual Spring Plant Sale
(MotherÂs Day Weekend)
Environmental Horticulture Center & Botanic Gardens
6500 Soquel Drive (top of campus), Aptos, CA
(831) 477-5671
Over 1000 different annuals, bedding plants, culinary & medicinal herbs, cut flowers, natives, perennials, salvias, species & hybrid fuchsias, succulents and vines.

May Â Foothill College
The Foothill College Environmental Horticulture & Design Program springtime inventory sale; in the college's horticulture facilities adjacent to Lot 8 at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills. Admission is free; parking is $2.
650-949-7427
www.foothill.edu.
eMail sauterdavid@fhda.edu
Items for sale include bamboo, succulents, cacti, grasses, tropicals, orchids, ornamental and fruit trees, shrubs, perennials and more.

May -- AnnieÂs Annuals
"MotherÂs Day Party"
740 Market Ave., Richmond, CA
http://www.anniesannuals.com/info/ohouse/default.asp

May Â Huntington Botanical Garden
Annual Plant Sale (the BIG one)
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100
Questions? publicinfo@huntington.org
Free with museum admission.
May Â Quail Botanic Garden
Palm and Cycad Sale
230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas CA
760-436-3036
e-mail: info@qbgardens.org

May Â Los Angeles Arboretum
Annual Epiphyllum Show & Sale
Ayres Hall & Gate & Patios
301 N. Baldwin Ave.
Arcadia, CA 91007
626-821-3222
http://www.arboretum.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=getcatheadlines&Catagory=events&CFID=2027410&CFTOKEN=22730740

May-June -- Inland Empire Home & Outdoor Living Show
Ontario Convention Center, Ontario, CA
www.thorschproductions.com/index_hols.html

June -- Theodore Payne Foundation
Plant Sale
For more information go to their website www.theodorepayne.org
Or call 818-768-1802
10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley.

June Â San Diego County Master Gardeners
"Summer Plant Sale"
Casa del Prado, Balboa Park
http://www.mastergardenerssandiego.org/

June -- San Francisco Botanical Garden
General Sale with emphasis on Perennials
located in the southwest corner of the Gardens, a five minute walk from the Main Gate at Ninth Avenue at Lincoln Way.

June -- Markham Regional Arboretum
The plant sales are held at the Garden Center located at 1202 La Vista Avenue in Concord.
925-681-2968
http://home.earthlink.net/~markhamarboretum/plantsales.html
June -- Lompoc Valley Flower Festival Flower Show
Ryon Park, Lompoc, CA
805-735-8511
flowerfestival.org/festival.htm

July -- Aril Society International
Aril iris bulb and plant sale; open to members only.
Each June, a price list is mailed out to all the ASI members. New members can join the ASI at the same time they place their order (see membership info for details). Sale chair: Betsy Higgins, higgins881@mchsi.com
608 S. Buena Vista Dr., Hendersonville, NC 28792

July -- Huntington Botanical Garden
Cactus & Succulent Show and Sale
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100
Questions: publicinfo@huntington.org
Free with museum admission.

July -- San Francisco Botanical Garden
General Sale with emphasis on Salvias & Shrubs
located in the southwest corner of the Gardens, a five minute walk from the Main Gate at Ninth Avenue at Lincoln Way.

July -- Northern California Cactus & Succulent Association
Annual cactus and succulent show and sale
San Francisco County Fair Building
9th and Lincoln Way in Golden Gate Park

July -- Los Angeles Cactus and Succulent Society
Annual Show and Sale
Sepulveda Garden Center
16633 Magnolia Blvd.,
Encino, CA
Contact: Artie Chavez 818-363-3432

August Â San Francisco Botanical Garden
Summer Gardening Fair
Located in the southwest corner of the Gardens, a five minute walk from the Main Gate at Ninth Avenue at Lincoln Way.

August -- San Francisco Botanical Garden
General Sale (with emphasis on Shade Plants)
Located in the southwest corner of the Gardens, a five minute walk from the Main Gate at Ninth Avenue at Lincoln Way.

August -- Markham Regional Arboretum
The plant sales are held at the Garden Center located at 1202 La Vista Avenue in Concord.
925-681-2968
http://home.earthlink.net/~markhamarboretum/plantsales.html

August Â Los Angeles Arboretum
Inter-City Cactus Show and Sale
Ayres Hall, Gate, Kitchen, Patios
301 N. Baldwin Ave.
Arcadia, CA 91007
626-821-3222
http://www.arboretum.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=getcatheadlines&Catagory=events&CFID=2027410&CFTOKEN=22730740

August -- Southern California Home & Garden Show
Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
www.southerncaliforniahomeshow.com

August-September Â UC Irvine Arboretum
Summer Bulb Sale
North Campus, UCI - building 96
Irvine, CA 92697
Contact: Laura Lyons ldlyons@uci.edu
949-824-5833
Annual sale of dormant bulbs from our winter-growing southern Africa bulb collection, evergreen and summer bulbs in containers, and perennials for planting with bulbs.

September Â UC Davis Botanical Conservatory
Specialty Plant Sale
Driving east on Interstate 80 from the San Francisco Bay Area or driving west on I-80 from Sacramento, take the UC Davis exit onto Old Davis Road to the campus.
In conjunction with the International Carnivorous Plant Society, Sacramento Cactus and Succulent Society and Bay Area Carnivorous Plant Society. A huge selection of cacti, succulents, Sarracenia, and house/greenhouse plants at this sale.

September Â San Diego Fall Home/Garden Show
Del Mar Fairgrounds
Contact: Westward Expos, 2120 Jimmy Durante Blvd. #106, Del Mar, CA 92014
858-350-3738 phone
858-350-3740 fax
Email: darlene@sandiegohomegardenshows.com
Web: http://www.fallhomegardenshow.com/

September -- UC Berkeley Botanical Garden
Annual Fall Sale
Features a large selection of perennials, including extensive selections from the gardenÂs Mediterranean, South American, and Australasian collections. Numerous cacti and succulents from the gardenÂs collections will also be on sale, as will orchids, tropicals, California natives, grasses, vines, trees, and shrubs.
The sale for the general public will be preceded by a members-only sale and silent auction from 9 to 10 a.m. Memberships are available at the gate. For a list of plants available at the fall sale, see botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu.

September -- San Francisco Botanical Garden
General Sale (with emphasis on Native Plants & Succulents)
located in the southwest corner of the Gardens, a five minute walk from the Main Gate at Ninth Avenue at Lincoln Way.

September -- Diablo College
Fall Sale
321 Golf Club Road
Pleasant Hill, California 94523
Email: kechols@dvc.edu
Phone: 925-685-1230 ext. 1958
Diablo Valley College Horticulture Club offers new and unusual plants for the garden. Other plant Sales are 4 times a year with thousands of unusual plants for sale.

September -- Markham Regional Arboretum
The plant sales are held at the Garden Center located at 1202 La Vista Avenue in Concord.
925-681-2968
http://home.earthlink.net/~markhamarboretum/plantsales.html

September Â Quail Botanical Gardens
"WorldÂs Greatest Bamboo Sale"
Presented by the American Bamboo Society - Southern California Chapter
Quail Botanical Gardens
230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas
Admission: Members: Free to Bamboo Society & Quail Gardens Members.
Non-Members: $8 for adults, $5 for Seniors, Students and Active Military, and $3 for children 3-12. Under 3 is free.
For more information call: (951) 359-1706
Over 100 species grown by collectors and local growers with a special auction of rare bamboo. Most items not yet commercially available.

September Â Los Angeles Arboretum
Fern & Exotic Plant Show and Sale
Ayres Hall & Gate & Kitchen
301 N. Baldwin Ave.
Arcadia, CA 91007
626-821-3222
http://www.arboretum.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=getcatheadlines&Catagory=events&CFID=2027410&CFTOKEN=22730740

September -- UC Berkeley Botanic Garden
Fall Plant Sale
200 Centennial Drive #5045
Berkeley, CA 94720-5045
510-643-2755
http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/program/index.shtml
UC Berkeley also has several special/themed plant sales (e.g., drought-tolerant plants, bulbs) several times a year.

September -- Mendocino Coast Botanic Garden
Fall Plant Sale
In the "Gardens Nursery"
18220 North Highway One
Fort Bragg, CA 95437
(707) 964-4352
http://www.gardenbythesea.org/
info@gardenbythesea.org
All plants 20% off for nonmembers and 30% for members

September-October -- AnnieÂs Annuals
"Fall Planting Party"
740 Market Ave., Richmond, CA
http://www.anniesannuals.com/info/ohouse/default.asp

September-October -- Fullerton Arboretum
"Fall Vine Sale"
Free admission
1900 Associated Rd. Fullerton CA 92831
714-278-3579

October -- Chico Total Home and Garden Show
Silver Dollar Fairgrounds, Chico, CA
www.chicohomeshow.com

October -- Quail Botanic Garden
"Annual Fall Plant Sale"
230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas CA
760-436-3036
e-mail: info@qbgardens.org
Fee: Members Free; Non-members: Free with Garden Admission
A very wide range of plants, at extremely reasonable prices because all plants are donated. Over 100 growers, wholesalers, retail nurseries, and individuals donate to this event.

October -- Theodore Payne Foundation
"Fall Festival"
For more information go to their website www.theodorepayne.org
Or call 818-768-1802
10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley.

October Â Huntington Botanical Garden
Fall Plant Sale
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100
Questions: publicinfo@huntington.org
Free with museum admission.

October Â UC Davis Arboretum
"Plant Faire"
At the Arboretum Orchard Park Nursery.
I-80 to Hwy 113 North to Arboretum
A great selection of the Arboretum plants.

October Â San Francisco Botanical Garden
Trees, Ferns & Rhododendrons Sale
Located in the southwest corner of the Gardens, a five minute walk from the Main Gate at Ninth Avenue at Lincoln Way.

October -- Ruth Bancroft Gardens
Fall Plant Sale
1552 Bancroft Road
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
925-944-9352
http://www.ruthbancroftgarden.org/pages/plantsales.html
A wide assortment of succulents and other drought tolerant plants for sale as well as gardening books, t-shirts, note cards, gardening gifts, and more. Guided and self-guided tours will be offered throughout the day. Reservations are not required for this event.

October Â Los Angeles Arboretum
Winter Cactus Show & Sale
Ayres Hall & Gate, Kitchen
301 N. Baldwin Ave.
Arcadia, CA 91007
626-821-3222
http://www.arboretum.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=getcatheadlines&Catagory=events&CFID=2027410&CFTOKEN=22730740

October -- UC Santa Cruz Arboretum
Arboretum Fall Plant Sale, Held in the Eucalyptus Grove
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
(831) 427-2998 phone (831) 427-1524 fax
http://www2.ucsc.edu/arboretum/calendar.html
arboretum@cats.ucsc.edu.

October-November -- Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Fall Plant Sale
1212 Mission Canyon Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Phone: 805-682-4726 fax: 805-563-0352
Web: http://www.sbbg.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=calendar.main
email: info@sbbg.org

November -- Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
Fall Plant Sale
1500 N. College Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
909-625-8767
or website: www.rsabg.org

November Â San Francisco Botanical Garden
End-of-the-Season Sale
Located in the southwest corner of the Gardens, a five minute walk from the Main Gate at Ninth Avenue at Lincoln Way.

November -- Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
Fall plant sale
1500 N. College Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
For further information, call (909) 625-8767
or check our website: www.rsabg.org
Featuring thousands of native California plants

December -- Markham Regional Arboretum
"Half-price Sale"
The plant sales are held at the Garden Center located at 1202 La Vista Avenue in Concord.
925-681-2968
Web: http://home.earthlink.net/~markhamarboretum/plantsales.html

Joe

Comments (14)

crocosmia_mn
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What a list! Thank you! You are so lucky to live in California and I do plan to do a garden tour one day and go to a couple of big plant sales if possible.

The main reason I asked was that I volunteer year-round for a large plant sale here is Minnesota. We were wondering if we were the biggest plant sale in the Midwest and so we ended up looking at some of the really big plant sales in the U.S. on the internet, and then we started wondering how to compare them: total number of individual plants, total sales, total profit, square feet, number of customers, or whatever.

It seemed like surely California must have one of the very biggest plant sales, by any measure, so I thought I'd ask!

So far, I haven't found a sale with more individual plants than we have, but the San Francisco Botanical Garden has more different kinds of plants. Have you been to that one?

Thanks again!

Nancy
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calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I think you can not compare Minnesota plant sales to California plant sales. Here in California planting is an all year job. Our variety of climates assures gardening never takes a day off. It is more difficult to get gardeners all fired up in anticipation of the coming spring when much of California never had a winter. Al
dicot
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I would agree with that, Al. I also think CA gardeners get more excited by larger niche sales - orchids, natives, roses, tropicals, garden art - than all-around plant sale extravaganzas.
californian
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The Fullerton Arboretum Green Scene plant sale is billed as the largest in the West. I know its hard to find a parking spot.
susi_so_calif
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Fabulous list, Joe. You left out the Spring (April) and Fall (October) plant sales at U. C. Riverside. Wonderfully well-organized, great plant selection, all the plants are listed on their website so you know what'll be there before you arrive. I already have my list and can hardly wait for April 4th.
lovegarden
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Don't forget to check these flea markets.

CUPERTINO 1ST Sat Flea Market. De Anza College. 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd. Stevens Creek Blvd, 95014. (408) 864-8946 or 864-8414.

FREMONT 2ND Sat. Ohlone College Super Flea Market. 436000 Mission Blvd.(510) 659-6285.

Hayward 3rd Sat. Chabot College 25555 Hesperian Blvd
Hayward, CA 94545 (510) 723-6918

You'll find some unsuall and rare plants there.
lccntryrox
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow,

Thanks, Joe and everyone else for all the info. I have lived in Santa Clarita just 6 months now (I moved from NJ), and despite a bad bout of Valley Fever that has sidelined me for awhile, I can't wait to get to some of these shows! I am still learning what can grow outside here, but so far it sure seems like Utopia for a plant lover!!!

Now, if I could only find great NY style pizza put here, I'd be in heaven.........

Lisa
gobluedjm 9/18 CA
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Lisa,

Welcome to the valley! Check out the website below. It's a local garden set up by Castaic water agency.

You said 6 months here, so you came in Oct? I assume you haven't experience the heat of Aug-Sept. Some plants that say full sun can't handle that heat they like a little shade. We get the extreme heat and colder than most of LA. In summer when they say valley temps, add 5-10 degrees, in winter subtract 5-10. We also get frost here...at least I do every year.
There are a gazillion micro climate zones...I get frost but a neighbor 3 doors down doesn't and another friend a mile away doesn't that often.

As for Pizza...my favorite food
BJ's
Tomato Joes, used to be a chain Garlic Jims

Here is a link that might be useful: clwa
pbrisjar
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
That is a huge list. Just as a note, the Markham arboretum link is no longer valid. Quick Google search provided the following:

http://www.markhamarboretum.org/calendar.html

Next sale is this Saturday 10-2. I think I'll be there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Markham Arboretum
kimokakes1_yahoo_com
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You should check this one out!

The Los Angeles Cactus and Succulent Society's 11th Annual Drought Tolerant Plant Festival
"Water Wise Dollar Wise"
Learn how landscaping with drought tolerant plants can save you money and water.
ï¿½ Interior Educational Displays
ï¿½ Exterior Demonstration Gardens
ï¿½ Raffle ï¿½ Silent Auction
ï¿½ Plant and Pottery Sale
ï¿½ Craft sales
Saturdayï¿½s Guest Speakers Include:
Lili Singer, "California Natives in the Garden" sponsored by the Theodore Payne Foundation(11:15am)
Mike Buckner, "The Art of Staging Succulents" (2:15pm)
Chief Mark Stormes from the LAFD, "Vegetation Management in the Los Angeles City Brush Zone" (1:00pm)
Nels Christianson, "Gardens of Brazil", sponsored by the San Fernando Valley Bromeliad Society (10:00am)

Sunday Kids Day
ï¿½ Arts and Crafts
ï¿½ Create Fatherï¿½s Day Gifts
ï¿½ Pot -A -Plant
ï¿½ Games
ï¿½Educational Gardens

Drought Tolerant Plant Festival

Saturday June 11th 9am to 5pm (Lectures start at 10:00)

Sunday June 12th 9am to 4pm (Kidï¿½s events start at 10:30)

Sepulveda Garden Center 16633 Magnolia Blvd Encino, CA 91436

For Times and More Information 818 220 8005 or www.lacss.com
Our website http://www.waterwisedollarwise.com

Here is a link that might be useful: The LACSS 11th Annual Drought Tolerant Plant Festival June 11th and 12th 2011
mindkandy
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
gardenguru's list is a good start.

It leaves out the largest plant sale (by volume and variety) of northern California: San Francisco Botanical Garden's sale, which usually takes place on the first Saturday in May.

San Francisco Botanical Garden May Sale
Open to the public on the first Saturday in May, usually.
Members only the Friday evening before.
County Fair Building
9th Avenue and Lincoln Way
San Francisco, CA
Bob Davis
6 years ago
Mercede community college has a huge plant sale every spring. It can be viewed on their Facebook site.

Sacramento cactus and succulent society sale may be small sq foot wise but has many of the same vendors as the San Francisco shows and a huge selection.

American River College in Sacramento, Ca also has a spring and fall sale. Prior years it was an okay size but with a new head of the department the 2017 spring sale was bigger than usual and it's suppose to only get bigger in the future.
Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)
6 years ago
The Huntington sale was in late April this year.

What is the largest plant sale in California?

gardenguru1950

Comments (14)

crocosmia_mn
Original Author

Related Professionals

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9

dicot

californian

susi_so_calif

lovegarden

lccntryrox

gobluedjm 9/18 CA

pbrisjar

kimokakes1_yahoo_com

mindkandy

Bob Davis

Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)

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What is the largest plant sale in California?

Comments (14)

crocosmia_mnOriginal Author

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crocosmia_mn
Original Author