Larner Seeds
Larner Seeds is a founder-owned, Bolinas-based retailer of California native plant seeds, books, and garden products, serving California home gardeners and restoration projects via e-commerce, a demonstration garden, consultation services, and workshops.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersBolinas, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Larner Seeds does
Larner Seeds is a privately held, founder-owned California native plant seed company founded in 1980 by Judith Larner Lowry and operated out of Bolinas, California. The company sells seeds for California native wildflowers, grasses, trees, bulbs, and curated seed mixes (188 SKUs at unit prices ranging from $7 to $108, with specialty items up to $465), complemented by an ecosystem of related products including founder-authored books on native plants and foraging, Japanese garden tools, botanical notecards and prints, natural body products, native plant foods, apparel, gift cards, and NatureTats temporary tattoos. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via a Shopify e-commerce storefront at larnerseeds.com and a part-time physical retail shop plus demonstration garden at 230 Grove Road, Bolinas, supplemented by a wholesale/retailer program and custom mini seed packets for events and corporate gifting.
The underlying capability base is domain expertise rather than technology: hand-collected seed harvesting from wild populations and a Mendocino field station, restoration gardening methodology, and 46+ years of accumulated knowledge in bunchgrass ecology and pollinator relationships. Higher-margin professional services layer garden consultation at $100/hour ($600 flat-rate for ~200 sq ft design) and workshops ($125-$200) on top of the transactional catalog. Customer segments are horizontal, led by California home gardeners, with secondary use cases in restoration projects, foraging enthusiasts, and educators. Geographic scope is restricted to California, and the company has no disclosed institutional investors, parent entity, subsidiaries, M&A activity, or AI/technology platform.
Larner Seeds firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Larner Seeds
- Legal name
- Larner Seeds
- Website
- https://larnerseeds.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Larner Seeds is a founder-owned, Bolinas-based retailer of California native plant seeds, books, and garden products, serving California home gardeners and restoration projects via e-commerce, a demonstration garden, consultation services, and workshops.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Larner Seeds industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Native Plant Seeds & Horticultural Products
- NAICS
- Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (44424), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142)
- SIC
- Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200), Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seed Distribution & Wholesale (Channel Sales) (AFAGAIAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Seed Collection, Processing & Storage (Provenance/Genetics) (AFAMACAB), Forest Nurseries, Seed Orchards & Genetic Improvement (AFAMAAAD), Seed Production & Multiplication (Contract Growing, Foundation/Certified Seed) (AFABAFAK)
Keywords
Where Larner Seeds is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bolinas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Larner Seeds business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Seed Sales: Sale of California native wildflower seeds, grass seeds, tree seeds, bulbs, and specialized seed mixes. Products available in various sizes from packets to bulk quantities up to $465 for specialty items.
- Book Sales: Sale of books on California native plants, foraging, gardening, and ecology, including works by Judith Larner Lowry and curated selections in their Bookscape collection.
- Garden Shop Products: Sale of garden tools, notecards, prints, stickers, apparel, natural body products, and nature-themed gifts including temporary tattoos by NatureTats.
- Consultation Services: Garden consultation services including site visits, garden design, plant lists, and on-site consultations at $100/hour plus travel costs.
- Workshops: Educational workshops on topics such as expressive art with earth elements and California native plant culinary arts, priced at $125-200 per workshop.
- Custom Event Seed Packets: Mini event and party favor seed packets for weddings and corporate events, available at wholesale discounts in quantities over 75 pieces.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Seed packets ranging from $7.00 to $108.00 depending on mix and size |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Books ranging from $5.00 to $100.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Garden tools and accessories from $6.00 to $69.00 |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Consultation rates at $100/hour for in-office, $100/hour plus travel for on-site |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Gift cards from $25 to $250 |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Workshop fees from $125 to $200 |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Mini Event Seed Packets at $5 each with 10% wholesale discount for 75+ |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Larner Seeds product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Larner Seeds is a California native plant seed company based in Bolinas, California, that sells a curated catalog of native plant seeds, wildflower seed mixes, special seed collections, and related horticultural products (books, garden tools, notecards, native plant foods, apparel, and gift cards). The company also offers garden consultations and workshops, and serves customers through a retail shop, an online e-commerce store, and a wholesale program. Founded in 1980, the company is built on the founder's 46+ years of expertise in California native flora and hand-collected seed production.
Product overview
Larner Seeds is a California native plant seed company and horticultural resource offering a diverse portfolio centered on native seeds (annual wildflowers, perennial wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, trees, bulbs, and curated seed mixes), complemented by related products including books, garden tools, nature-themed apparel and body products, educational prints and cards, and services such as garden consultations and workshops. The core offering is the seed catalog, with related products and services forming an ecosystem for California native plant gardening enthusiasts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- California Native Plant Seeds Hand-collected and curated seeds of California native plant species, offered in individual packets and bulk sizes for home gardeners, restoration practitioners, and wholesale buyers.
- Wildflower Seed Mixes Curated mixes of California native wildflower seeds formulated for various habitat and aesthetic conditions, sold to home gardeners and restoration projects.
- Special Seed Collections Curated multi-species seed collections themed around specific habitats, uses, or plant communities for California native gardening.
- Mini Event & Party Favor Packets Small-format seed packets designed as event or party favors for weddings, showers, and similar gatherings.
- Books Books on California native plants, gardening, and related topics, including works authored by the founder, sold through the retail shop and online store.
- Garden Tools Garden tools and supplies sold alongside the seed catalog to support planting and cultivation of California native gardens.
- Notecards, Prints, and Stickers Stationery and printed goods featuring native plant imagery, sold as gift and personal-use items.
- NatureTats Temporary Tattoos Native plant-themed temporary tattoos sold as gift and novelty items.
- Natural Body Products Body care products featuring natural and botanically derived ingredients, sold alongside the seed and gift catalog.
- Native Plant Foods Food products derived from or related to native plants, such as foraged or native ingredient offerings, sold to customers interested in native plant edibles.
- Apparel Apparel items branded with the company or native plant themes, sold through the retail shop and online store.
- Gift Cards Gift cards redeemable for products across the company's catalog, intended for personal gifting.
- Garden Consultations Live, expert advisory services provided by the company's native plant and garden consultants to customers planning native plant gardens, restoration projects, or foraging gardens.
- Workshops Educational workshops on California native plants, gardening, and related topics conducted by the company's staff and consultants.
Quantifiable outcome
- Species available for erosion control including Golden State Native Grass Erosion Control Mix
Companies that use Larner Seeds
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Larner Seeds technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Larner Seeds partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- NatureTats (Allison Wilcoxen)minorNatureTats temporary tattoos featuring hand-drawn nature designs are sold through Larner Seeds. Products include California Poppy, Monarch Butterfly, Luna Moth, Pine Trees, and other nature-themed temporary tattoos created by Allison Wilcoxen.
- California Native Plant Society (CNPS)minorLarner Seeds partners with CNPS by directing customers to Calscape, CNPS's plant selection tool for California gardeners. CNPS provides the Fire Recovery Guide and educational resources that Larner Seeds references and recommends.
- Kristin JakobminorLocal artist whose botanical notecards, prints, and stickers are sold through Larner Seeds, including California Poppy, Redwood Rose, Fairy Slipper Orchid, and other botanical artwork.
- Xerces SocietyminorLarner Seeds offers Xerces Society pollinator conservation seed mixes including the California Valley Pollinator Conservation Mix and Coastal California Pollinator Conservation Mix, developed by the Xerces Society for invertebrate conservation.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Larner Seeds competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Prairie Moon Nursery: Minnesota-based native plant seed and plant nursery specializing in prairie and woodland species for the Upper Midwest. Operates an analogous mail-order and e-commerce business model targeting native plant gardeners, but serves a different geographic region.
- Native Seeds/SEARCH: Arizona-based nonprofit seed conservation organization selling native seeds of the Sonoran Desert and broader Southwest. Comparable in mission-driven retail seed distribution, conservation focus, and educational programming, but focused on a different bioregion.
Direct peers
- Tree of Life Nursery: California native plant wholesale nursery in San Luis Obispo County serving landscape professionals with California native plants. Comparable in California native specialization and B2B distribution, with overlap in the native plant landscape supply chain.
- Theodore Payne Foundation: Nonprofit California native plant nursery and seed supplier in the Los Angeles area selling native seeds, plants, and providing educational resources. Comparable to Larner Seeds in its native plant specialization, retail operation, and educational mission.
- Las Pilitas Nursery: California native plant nursery with extensive online catalog of California native seeds and plants, with significant expertise in habitat restoration and garden design. Direct competitor in the California native plant retail market with similar educational content and e-commerce focus.
- Hedgerow Farms: Northern California native grass and wildflower seed producer specializing in conservation-grade seed for restoration, agriculture, and landscaping. Closely comparable to Larner Seeds given its California focus, native seed specialization, and direct-to-consumer plus wholesale distribution.
- Yerba Buena Nursery: Bay Area native plant nursery offering California native plants and seeds, restoration services, and landscaping. Comparable geographically and in product mix, with overlap in the wholesale landscape contractor segment.
- Annie's Annuals & Perennials: California specialty plant retailer offering California native and rare plants both online and at a physical Richmond, CA location. Comparable in retail format, plant focus, and educational content delivery, though it focuses on live plants rather than seeds.
- S&S Seeds: California-based native plant seed producer and distributor serving restoration, revegetation, and landscape customers. Operates in the same California native seed segment with broader institutional and wholesale channels, making it a direct competitor for restoration and landscape professionals.
Others
- California Native Plant Society (CNPS): Nonprofit conservation organization that operates the Calscape plant selection tool — a direct partner of Larner Seeds. While not a direct competitor, CNPS shapes the native plant gardening ecosystem and consumer education in California that Larner Seeds serves.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Larner Seeds social profiles
Digital presenceLarner Seeds financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Larner Seeds leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Larner Seeds funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Larner Seeds M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Larner Seeds
What does Larner Seeds do?
Larner Seeds is a California native plant seed company based in Bolinas, California, that sells a curated catalog of native plant seeds, wildflower seed mixes, special seed collections, and related horticultural products (books, garden tools, notecards, native plant foods, apparel, and gift cards). The company also offers garden consultations and workshops, and serves customers through a retail shop, an online e-commerce store, and a wholesale program. Founded in 1980, the company is built on the founder's 46+ years of expertise in California native flora and hand-collected seed production.
Is Larner Seeds a public or private company?
Larner Seeds is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Larner Seeds founded?
Larner Seeds was founded in 1980. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Larner Seeds based?
Larner Seeds is headquartered in Bolinas, United States, in the North America region.
How does Larner Seeds make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Seed Sales are the primary driver. The others are book Sales, garden Shop Products, consultation Services, workshops and custom Event Seed Packets.
Who are Larner Seeds's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Prairie Moon Nursery and Native Seeds/SEARCH. Direct peers are Tree of Life Nursery, Theodore Payne Foundation, Las Pilitas Nursery, Hedgerow Farms, Yerba Buena Nursery, Annie's Annuals & Perennials and S&S Seeds. California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is listed as an others.
Does Larner Seeds have an API?
No public API is recorded for Larner Seeds.
What industry is Larner Seeds in?
Larner Seeds's product category is Native Plant Seeds & Horticultural Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGAIAM, Seed Distribution & Wholesale (Channel Sales), with a secondary code of AFAMACAB, Seed Collection, Processing & Storage (Provenance/Genetics). Its NAICS code is 444240 and its SIC code is 5200.