Duarte Poinsettias Celebrates 28 Years Since First Season
HUGHSON, CA, October 04 — Almost three decades after Duarte Nursery first experimented with selling poinsettia flowers, the Stanislaus County nursery is preparing to open its doors for the holiday season once again. On November 12, 2022, Duarte Poinsettias will deck the halls of its greenhouse in Hughson with tens of thousands of red, pink, white, and even orange poinsettia flowers. The annual sales event has become a local holiday staple over the last 28 years, but Duarte Nursery was a lot less certain of its success when it started.
In 1994, Duarte Nursery just needed to find a way to fill the seasonal gap in work every fall. The permanent crop nursery primarily provides grapevines and trees to farmers in California, and field production for spring planting doesn’t start until after the new year. It was co-founder Anita Duarte who thought that potted poinsettia flowers might be worth a try.
What started off as a way to keep the lights on year-round ended up being a huge success in the community. Duarte Poinsettias went from growing 15,000 poinsettias in its first season to almost 60,000 in preparation for this year. For the Duarte family, it’s more about the experience than anything else.
“It really is a great time for us to connect with the community,” said John Duarte, president of Duarte Nursery, “and it’s very special to us personally, as a family.”
John and his brother Jeff helped their mom Anita with the first poinsettia season, and now their own children do the same thing every year. Visitors will often see at least one member of the Duarte flock in a signature red apron, helping customers carry poinsettias to their car, bagging flowers for travel, or just hanging out with Grandma.
Duarte Poinsettias also offers guided tours through their greenhouse and fundraising opportunities at a reduced rate so that organizations can raise money for their cause in a unique and festive way. Local businesses looking to show clients their appreciation during the holidays can also order poinsettias for corporate gifts. To learn more about fundraising through Duarte Poinsettias, purchasing corporate gifts, or booking a tour, email poinsettias@duartenursery.com or visit www.duartepoinsettias.com.
Duarte Poinsettia’s greenhouse is open in Hughson, California every day starting November 12 from 9am until 4pm, and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Only cash and checks will be accepted for onsite payment
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About Duarte Poinsettias: Duarte Nursery sells its poinsettias every year in the same greenhouse they grow them in. Duarte Nursery is a permanent crop business operating out of Stanislaus County in California. Currently operated by brothers John Duarte and Jeff Duarte, they specialize in commercial nut trees and grapevines for farmers across the West Coast. As innovative leaders in the nursery industry, they’ve led the charge in containerized products, and clonal propagation, and are constantly pushing the envelope for what’s possible in modern agriculture.
For more information, please contact Sara Du Bois by calling (209)531-0351 or email sara@duartenursery.com.
