Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We do not offer free shipping. Live plants are heavy, awkward, and require careful packaging — absorbing that cost into our prices would mean overcharging customers in nearby states to subsidize cross-country freight. Instead, shipping is calculated at checkout based on plant size, container, and destination ZIP. You'll see the exact cost before you pay.

We ship live plants Monday through Wednesday so they spend the minimum time in transit and never sit in a warehouse over a weekend. Orders placed Thursday–Sunday go out the following Monday. During the dormant season or extreme heat or cold in your destination, we may hold your order for the next safe shipping window and email you with the new ship date.

No. We ship during planting windows that protect the plant: roughly mid-March through early June for spring, and mid-September through early November for fall. Specific cultivars have tighter windows. If you order outside a shipping window, we'll hold and ship at the next opening — you'll be notified.

Currently we ship within the contiguous United States only. Live plant exports require USDA phytosanitary certificates and country-specific permits we don't yet handle on the retail side. International wholesale buyers can contact our trade arm at buchholznursery.com.

Every plant page lists a USDA hardiness zone range. If your zone falls outside that range, the plant likely won't survive winter (or summer) at your location. If you don't know your zone, search the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map by ZIP code. When in doubt, email info@buchholznursery.com with your ZIP and the cultivar you're considering — a grower will tell you honestly whether it's a good match.

Yes. Send us a photo of the planting site and a few details (sun exposure, soil type, mature size you're looking for, hardiness zone) and we'll suggest two or three cultivars that should perform well. We'd rather steer you to the right plant than sell you the wrong one.

Every plant ships healthy, properly hydrated, and packed to survive transit. If your plant arrives in poor condition, take photos within 7 days of delivery (showing the plant, the packaging, and any damage) and email them to info@buchholznursery.com. We'll either replace the plant on the next ship date or refund the purchase price — your choice.

Live plants need correct planting, watering, and a reasonable acclimation period. Decline weeks or months after delivery is most often a planting or care issue rather than a plant defect. Email us with photos and a description of how it was planted and watered — we'll diagnose what we can and suggest a recovery plan. We don't guarantee plants beyond the 7-day arrival window, but we do try to help.

Open the box immediately. Inspect the plant for damage or dryness. Water the rootball thoroughly. Move the plant to a sheltered, partly shaded outdoor location for 3–7 days to acclimate before planting in its permanent spot. Don't plant directly into full sun on day one — it's been in a dark box.

Live plants can't be returned for a change of mind — they don't survive being shipped twice. If you ordered the wrong cultivar, contact us before it ships and we can usually swap it. After the plant has shipped, we can't accept returns unless the plant arrived damaged (see Live Plant Guarantee above).

Yes. Gift cards, books, and tools (if we sell them) can be returned within 30 days of delivery in unused condition. Contact us to start a return. Return shipping is the customer's responsibility unless the item arrived damaged or we shipped the wrong one.

Wholesale is handled through our trade arm at buchholznursery.com. If you operate a garden center, landscape firm, production nursery, or arboretum and want a wholesale account, request one through the wholesale site. The retail store you're on now is for home gardeners and individual collectors.

Buy any value, choose the recipient's email, and the card is delivered to them immediately on purchase. They can apply it at checkout on any plant or non-plant item we sell. Gift cards do not expire.

Yes. Gift cards stack with discount codes — the discount applies first, then the gift card balance is drawn against whatever is left of the order total.