Broken Arrow Nursery

What Broken Arrow Nursery does

Broken Arrow Nursery is a family-owned specialty plant nursery founded in 1984 by Richard Jaynes in Hamden, Connecticut, after his 25-year tenure as a plant breeder and horticulturist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. The firm sells rare and unusual plants — a curated catalog of 3,000+ varieties spanning trees, deciduous shrubs, broadleaf evergreens, deciduous and evergreen conifers, herbaceous perennials, and vines — together with 45+ proprietary plant introductions it has developed in-house. The underlying production capability combines container production, field production, and specialized propagation techniques (cutting, grafting, and seed propagation), with an Integrated Pest Management program that uses beneficial insects and selective chemical intervention.

The business operates through multiple distribution channels: a physical retail nursery at 13 Broken Arrow Road open daily from 10AM to 5PM; mail-order e-commerce shipping #3-container or smaller plants across the eastern United States during two seasonal windows (March-May and September-November); local delivery within a 50-mile radius at $120/hour; wholesale trade discounts for licensed green-industry buyers; and special orders sourced through a global network of growers. Customer segments include home gardeners (primary), licensed landscape and nursery trade professionals, residential landscape consultation clients, and affiliated garden clubs, botanical gardens, and horticultural societies that receive 10% retail discounts.

Revenue streams extend beyond plant sales to include landscape consultation ($50/hour, anchored by a new in-house designer), hands-on propagation workshops ($55 per person), virtual Zoom lectures ($5 per session), on-site and off-site tours and presentations, and both physical and online gift cards. Marketing is conducted through a Magento e-commerce site, an email newsletter, Instagram (@brokenarrownursery), Facebook, and a YouTube channel (@brokenarrownursery1423). The 2025 USA Today 10 Best Readers Choice award provides third-party consumer validation. There is no external investment, parent company, or institutional funding; the firm remains entirely Jaynes-family controlled with ~18 named staff members across production, sales, mail order, and consulting functions.

Name

Broken Arrow Nursery

Legal name

Broken Arrow Nursery

Website

https://brokenarrownursery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Broken Arrow Nursery is a family-owned specialty plant nursery founded in 1984 in Hamden, Connecticut, selling rare and unusual plants through a daily retail location, seasonal mail-order across the eastern US, wholesale trade, consultations, and workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Nursery and Specialty Plant Sales

NAICS

Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142), Nursery and Tree Production (111421), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (44424), Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114)

SIC

Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200), Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Nursery Production (Woody Ornamentals: Trees, Shrubs, Roses) (AFAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nursery, Sod & Landscape Supply (Installation Support) (IMAIAIAJ), Plant Replacement, Transplanting & Garden Refresh Services (HSAIAFAG)

Keywords

• Rare plant nursery
• Ornamental plant sales
• Landscape consultation services
• Horticultural workshops
• Mail order plants

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamden

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Nursery Sales: On-site sales of plants, including trees, shrubs, perennials, conifers, and vines at their Hamden, CT retail location. Customers can browse and purchase in person. The nursery is open daily 10AM-5PM.
2. Mail Order / Online Sales: Online plant sales shipped to customers across the eastern United States. Plants ship in #3 containers or smaller. Shipping seasons are March-May (spring) and September-November (fall). Shipping fees range from 30-45% depending on region.
3. Landscape Consultation: Professional landscape design consultation service providing personalized guidance. One-hour consultation priced at $50, held at the nursery unless on-site visits are arranged. Includes site evaluation, plant palette development, and landscape recommendations.
4. Events and Workshops: Educational workshops and presentations including hands-on propagation workshops ($55), Zoom lectures ($5), and presentations on various horticultural topics. Staff members present both on-site and virtual programs.
5. Wholesale Trade Sales: Trade discounts offered to licensed and qualified green industry businesses. Also offers 10% discount to members of select non-profit organizations and botanical gardens for on-site retail purchases.
6. Gift Cards: Both online gift cards (for mail order purchases) and at-nursery gift cards available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Broken Arrow Nursery is a family-owned retail nursery and online plant store in Hamden, CT that propagates, grows, and sells more than 3,000 varieties of rare and unusual plants (trees, shrubs, perennials, conifers, and vines) through a physical storefront and a mail-order e-commerce channel shipping across the eastern US. The business complements plant sales with seasonal Christmas trees and wreaths, professional landscape consultation, educational workshops and tours, and special-order plant sourcing through a global grower network. It also markets 45+ proprietary plant introductions developed in-house.

Product overview

Broken Arrow Nursery is a retail nursery and e-commerce platform offering plants, horticultural services, and educational programs. The core offerings consist of in-person retail nursery shopping and mail order/online plant sales, complemented by seasonal Christmas trees and wreaths, landscape consultation services, and educational events and workshops. Additional services include gift cards (both physical and digital), delivery within 50 miles, and special orders for plants not in the catalog. The nursery also offers a standardized plant sizing system and has introduced 45 unique plant cultivars under its own brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retail Nursery In-person plant shopping at the Hamden, CT nursery location, open daily from 10AM until 5PM, offering a wide selection of trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, and conifers for walk-in customers.
• Mail Order / Online Shop Online plant shopping with mail order shipping to customers across the eastern United States, shipping plants in containers #3 or smaller during spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) seasons. Shipping fees range from 30-45% depending on region.
• Christmas Trees and Wreaths Seasonal Christmas tree selection and wreath products including various tree types and wreath styles, sourced from the nursery's own Christmas tree fields.
• Landscape Consultation Professional landscape design consultation service providing personalized guidance for outdoor projects. One-hour sessions priced at $50, including site evaluation, plant palette development, layout recommendations, and custom design sketches.
• Events & Workshops Educational workshops and events including cutting propagation classes, hydrangea lectures, and other horticultural topics presented by nursery experts, both on-site and virtually via Zoom.
• Tours & Presentations Guided nursery tours and educational presentations by staff experts on various horticultural topics, available in-person or virtually, including a self-guided walking tour with QR-coded plants.
• At the Nursery Gift Card Physical gift card for use at the retail nursery location, available in customizable denominations.
• Online Gift Card Digital gift card for online plant purchases at brokenarrownursery.com, delivered by email.
• Local Delivery Service Plant delivery service within a 50-mile radius of the nursery at $120 per hour with a minimum $120 charge, including travel, unloading, and return to nursery.
• Special Orders Special order service for plants not listed in the catalog, leveraging a network of growers worldwide to acquire plants not regularly stocked.

Quantifiable outcome

• USA Today 10 Best Readers Choice 2025 recognition

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• American Conifer SocietyminorOthersAffiliation and partnership through member discounts. American Conifer Society members receive 10% discount on retail purchases at the nursery.
• American Rhododendron SocietyminorOthersAffiliation and professional network for rhododendron enthusiasts.
• Arnold ArboretumminorOthersAffiliation with Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum, a leading botanical research institution.
• Berkshire Botanical GardenminorOthersAffiliation with member discounts. Berkshire Botanical Garden members receive 10% discount on retail purchases.
• Tower Hill Botanic GardenminorOthersAffiliation with member discounts. Tower Hill Botanic Garden members receive 10% discount on retail purchases.
• Blithewold Mansions, Gardens, and ArboretumminorOthersAffiliation with member discounts. Blithewold members receive 10% discount on retail purchases.
• Connecticut Horticultural SocietyminorOthersAffiliation with member discounts. Connecticut Horticultural Society members receive 10% discount on retail purchases.
• Massachusetts Horticultural SocietyminorOthersAffiliation with member discounts. Massachusetts Horticultural Society members receive 10% discount on retail purchases.
• Connecticut Master GardenersminorOthersAffiliation with member discounts. Connecticut Master Gardeners receive 10% discount on retail purchases.
• International Plant Propagators' Society (IPPS)minorOthersRachel Conley serves on the board of directors for the eastern region of IPPS, indicating professional affiliation and leadership in plant propagation community.
• Naugatuck Valley Community CollegeminorOthersAdam Wheeler serves as adjunct lecturer, providing educational partnership and knowledge sharing.
• Longwood GardensminorOthersSource of plant selections - Wisteria frutescens 'Longwood Purple' was selected by Longwood Gardens.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Plant Delights Nursery: North Carolina-based rare and unusual plant nursery selling proprietary introductions and collector-grade perennials via mail order. Highly comparable in its emphasis on rare plants, breeding/program introductions, and mail-order-only (plus open-house) model.
• Bluestone Perennials: Specialty mail-order perennial nursery offering a curated catalog of garden plants to consumers. Comparable as a direct-to-consumer specialty plant retailer competing for the same home-gardener wallet share.
• White Flower Farm: Connecticut-based mail-order and retail nursery selling a broad catalog of perennials, shrubs, and unusual plants to home gardeners. Closely comparable in product mix, customer base, and East Coast mail-order model.
• Logee's Plants for Home & Garden: Connecticut-based retail and mail-order nursery specializing in tropicals, rare edibles, and unusual flowering plants. Comparable in regional footprint, retail-plus-mail-order model, and emphasis on rare/exotic plant material.
• Wayside Gardens: Long-running mail-order garden center offering trees, shrubs, and perennials to home gardeners nationwide. Comparable as a catalog/online retailer targeting the same home-gardener customer seeking premium plants.

Broad incumbents

• Proven Winners: National plant brand marketing proprietary annuals, perennials, and shrubs through licensee growers and big-box retailers. Comparable in branding proprietary plant varieties but operates as a national mass-market brand rather than a single specialty grower.
• Bailey Nurseries: Major wholesale grower of trees, shrubs, and perennials (Endless Summer hydrangeas, First Editions) sold through independent garden centers. Comparable in production of woody ornamentals but serves a wholesale rather than direct-to-consumer specialty niche.
• Monrovia Nursery Company: Large wholesale nursery grower supplying branded plants to garden centers and retailers across the US. Comparable as a woody-ornamental grower but operates at much greater scale, through wholesale channels, and without Broken Arrow's direct-to-consumer specialty focus.

Emerging players

• Brent and Becky's Bulbs: Specialty mail-order bulb and perennial retailer with strong educational content and direct-to-consumer sales. Comparable as a family-run specialty plant retailer targeting enthusiast gardeners, though narrower in product scope.
• FastGrowingTrees.com: Online-first direct-to-consumer plant retailer emphasizing fast shipping of trees and shrubs to nationwide customers. Comparable in online plant retail but with much broader geographic reach and lower specialization in rare/unusual cultivars.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@brokenarrownursery1423
• Facebookfacebook.com/brokenarrownursery
• Instagraminstagram.com/brokenarrownursery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/broken-arrow-nursery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Broken Arrow Nursery