And ... where to buy locally
Many San Diego County nurseries offer houseplants for beginners and more experienced plant parents: Here’s a sampling. You can ask if they ship, or go visit in person (Tip: Clear space in the trunk ahead of time):
Armstrong Garden Centers, multiple locations, armstronggarden.com
Barrels & Branches, 1452 Santa Fe Drive, Encinitas, (760) 753-2852, barrelsandbranches.com
City Farmers Nursery, 3110 Euclid Ave., City Heights, (619) 284-6358, cityfarmersnursery.com
Cordova Gardens, 902 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas, (760) 944-6984, cordovagardens.com
Cuffel Farms, 6459 Mt. Aguilar Drive, Clairemont, (760) 802-6670, cuffelfarms.com
Evergreen Nursery, multiple locations, evergreennursery.com
1500 N. Coast Highway 101, Leucadia, (760) 840-0270, gardensbytheseanursery.com
Green Gardens Nursery, 4910 Cass St., Pacific Beach, (858) 483-7846, greengardenssd.com
Green Thumb Nursery, 1019 W. San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos, (760) 7443822, greenthumb.com
Hunter’s Nursery, 3110 Sweetwater Road, Lemon Grove, (619) 463-9341, huntersnursery.com
Jungle Music Palms, Cycads & Tropical Plants, 450 Ocean View Ave., Encinitas, (619) 291-4605, junglemusic.net
Luca & Micaela Nursery, 441 Saxony Road, Encinitas, (760) 410-8640, landmnursery.com
Mission Hills Nursery, 525 Fort Stockton Drive, Hillcrest, (619) 295-2808, missionhillsnursery.com
North Park Nursery, 2335 University Ave., North Park, (619) 795-1855, northparknursery.com
Plant House Nursery, 1163 N. Second St., El Cajon, (619) 442-2549, planthouse-nursery.edan.io
El Plantio Nursery & Landscaping, 1322 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, (760) 745-8736, elplantionurseryescondido.com
Rancho Valhalla Nursery, 1998 E. Chase Ave. A, El Cajon, (619) 590-1025, ranchovalhallanursery.wordpress.com
Sunshine Gardens, 155 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, (760) 436-3244, sunshinegardensencinitas.wordpress.com
Walter Andersen Nursery, multiple locations, walterandersen.com
Weidners Gardens, 695 Normandy Road, Encinitas, (760) 436-2194, weidnersgardens.com
Source: U-T staff reports