We will not be shipping on Cyber Monday, 12/2/2024. Orders received on Thursday, 11/21/2024 through Wednesday, before midnight (ET) 12/4/2024 will ship on Monday, 12/9/2024. Happy Thanksgiving!

Mail Order

 

We are still in the process of adding plants to our site, so it is by no means complete. We are told by customers that we have the largest selection of Osmanthus or Tea Olives on the internet. We are constantly seeking out and periodically adding new selections.

We almost always ship on Mondays, sometimes Tuesdays. Our ordering cycle begins on Thursday, through Wednesday; shipping the following Monday. To be shipped on Monday, orders must be received before midnight Wednesday, (EST). Orders received after the Wednesday, cutoff day will ship the next available Monday. Plants are processed on Thursdays and Fridays to ship the following Monday. Due to high volume during our busy spring season, it may take 2 - 3 weeks to ship your order. We appreciate your patience.

When you place your order, UPS will tell you how many days it will take from us to your location. This does not include the day we ship. So if you are in a two day zone, you will receive your plants on Wednesday or Thursday depending on which day they are shipped. West Coast orders take 7 - 8 days typically. If you need your plant shipped later than the normal date or have  special instructions where to leave the package, you can add a note on your Cart Page. The box for leaving a note is near the bottom of the page.

Plants are taken out of the pots and bagged and wrapped with the root balls  intact. If you need them shipped in the pot, add a note on your Cart Page. For large orders email us first, as shipping in pots can require more boxes.

Since we are in the fire ant zone, plants being shipped to addresses that are not in the fire ant zone must be treated. This is required by the USDA. One may check this site for a map showing the present distribution of fire ants in the US:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/fireants/downloads/fireant.pdf

When you are located within the distribution area, plants do not have to be treated.

With our plants, we grow them in a number of different sizes, some in smaller pots and some larger. The largest size that we ship is a 3 gallon container. We ship all of our plants by UPS. When submitting an order, one can see the cost of shipping by different time lines. Most choose UPS Ground. We ship many plants to the West Coast, and these usually take 7 days to arrive. Because of this longer delivery time, we do not like to ship in the coldest months or the hottest months. We may completely cease shipping during the most extreme conditions. We carefully monitor the weather to determine if shipping might endanger ones plants. We only ship to the continental United Sates.

 

F.A.Q.

 

Q: Do you have all the plants listed on your site in stock and in every size?

A: No, we do not. We make every effort to have inventory in stock but these are plants, not widgets from a factory, and there are many factors involved. We grow over 2000 taxa which may be in one stage of production or another. You will be refunded for any purchases which are not available after you order.

 

Q: What is the minimum order amount for shipping?

A: We require no minimum order, but you will save on shipping per item by ordering more items.

 

Q: When will you have a new plant ready for shipping?

A: We will only ship plants that have been tested and are ready for distribution to the public. Stay tuned and we appreciate your patience, it will be worth it!

 

Q: How do you ship plants?

A: We ship via UPS on Mondays and Tuesdays of each week to assure that your plants do not sit in a warehouse over the weekend. Except to the West Coast, when shipping UPS Ground, it takes 7-8 days, and we try to ship when the weather is appropriate, like spring and fall.

 

Q: How far can you ship to, from your nursery in SC?

A: We can ship to anywhere in the continental US, except in the heat of mid/late-summer, or during the coldest times of the winter months. We will watch what the temperatures are between our location and yours.  We may delay shipping your order if it would be unsafe for your plants to travel the distance, through extreme temperatures, to arrive at your destination. We will let you know if shipping for your order is delayed.

 

Q: How much do you charge for shipping?

A: Live plants vary in size and weight! Shipping costs vary due to postal zones and shipping methods and the size of the box. The largest plant that we ship is 3 gallon and the largest box is 4 feet high, and this would include the pot. Since UPS charges are not only based on weight, but size as well, larger boxes are prohibitive to ship. Our secure shopping cart will provide rates. Larger sizes may be picked up at the nursery.

 

Q: What is your guarantee?

A: Please see this under “Our Mail Order Guarantee” at the end of this section.

 

Q: What about Fire Ants?

A: We ship plants de-potted and packed with root ball intact unless otherwise requested. USDA requires live plants shipped outside the Fire Ant Zone to be chemically treated to prevent the spread of this pest.

All plants shipped outside of the quarantine zone will be treated with Talstar; a synthetic pyrethroid that is very safe towards non-target animals such as birds, reptiles and mammals. Plants are rinsed before shipment, but some residual chemical may be present in the root ball. If you are uncertain about contact with chemicals, use safe handling precautions such as non-latex gloves and avoid direct contact with the root ball.

 

Our Mail Order Guarantee

 

We guarantee our plants will arrive healthy and in good condition, except for maybe a few small broken leaves or branches. You must notify us within 5 days of receipt if there is a problem with your order. In no case are we liable for more than the cost of the plant plus shipping. If we do not hear from you within five days of your receiving your plants, we assume your order has arrived in satisfactory condition. At this point they become your plants.

 

After you receive your plant(s), they are your responsibility. We have no control over how your plants are handled or the extreme weather conditions that may occur. If there is a “hardiness” issue, you should ask around with local gardeners or your state Extension Agents to get their advice. We do not use plants as “loss leaders” like the big boxes do. These behemoths encourage more bad gardening than any other entities by replacing plants, no questions asked. But of course they don’t experience the loss. They just charge that returned plant back to the supplier. So they don’t take a loss. If you wrecked a car after you left the dealership, would you ask him to replace it?

 

When Your Plants Arrive: Plan to care for your plants from the time they arrive so that they live and thrive in your garden. Unpack your boxes immediately (not 2 or 3 days later), and water any plants that are dry. In warm weather it’s a good idea to place in lightly shaded conditions for a day or two before planting into the garden. It is up to you to select plants fitted to your growing conditions and to care for them properly. While we are familiar with growing conditions in our area, we can’t guarantee that a plant will prosper in every garden, especially when pushing the hardiness zone.

 

UPS Deliveries: UPS does a terrific job of transporting plants, but occasionally a box is damaged in transit. If this happens, SAVE ALL PACKAGING AND PLANTS AND EMAIL US IMMEDIATELY AT nurcar3@nurcar.com. Remember, UPS will not reimburse you for cold-damaged plants—do not have tender plants shipped to you during extreme cold, and make arrangements for your plants to be brought inside upon delivery.

 

Contact Us

Email:  Contact us by email at nurcar3@nurcar.com.  We are only available on week days between 8:30 am to 4:00 pm EST.  Do not reply to automated emails through the order system.