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About the Wild Plant Nursery

The Wild Plant Nursery is a unique resource for ecological restoration in the greater Washington, DC, area. Established in 2001 in Springfield, Virginia, under an agreement with the Fairfax County Park Authority, the nursery is the region's most comprehensive source of local, wild native-plant material (“local ecotypes”). The use of local ecotypes is a standard best practice in ecological restoration because that helps to safeguard genetic diversity and local adaptation in the species planted. The nursery is currently working with about 340 species, some uncommon or rare in the wild in this region. For many of these species, our nursery is the DC area’s only source of production — local ecotype or otherwise. All plants are grown from seed (or spores) that we ourselves collect, from over 50 local natural areas. (We collect only with permission.) The nursery serves our own planting programs, as well as those of area governments, schools, businesses, and other conservation nonprofits. We rely on volunteers to run the nursery! To join us, check the Volunteer page for our Field Schedule. Please note that our nursery and office addresses are different. The Wild Plant Nursery is located at 6100 Cloud Dr. in Grove Point Park (formerly known as Franconia Park), Springfield. Our office is located in Annandale, but is not open for plant sales. See detailed directions to the nursery below.

How to Buy Plants:

In-Person Shopping (Sundays only): 

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We are open for in-person shopping, by appointment, on Sundays. Customers must register for a 1-hour time slot before coming to shop at the Wild Plant Nursery. Click here to reserve your spot: shorturl.at/ioptD 

 

(We are not able to pull out orders for Self Service Sunday customers ahead of time. If you'd prefer contactless pickup, please email your order to orders@earthsangha.org and we will add you to the queue.)

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Contactless Curbside Pick-Up:

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For contactless pick-up, please place your order by the end of the day Tuesday to be included in that week's queue. We'll notify you by Friday morning with your assigned pick up bay and send you an online invoice. Orders received after Tuesday will be pulled for the next week's queue.

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How to order:

  1. Check our inventory at www.earthsangha.org/wpnlist

  2. Email your order to orders@earthsangha.org. Please include both the species and quantities. Let us know if you're a member to receive the member discount!

  3. We'll pull out your order in an assigned bay and notify you that it's ready to go by Friday morning. You have until the end of day on the following Wednesday to pick up your order. You can come by anytime between dawn and dusk!

  4. We'll email you an invoice that you can pay online. Feel free to pick up first so you can see what you're getting!

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All visitors must abide by the following rules:

  • All volunteers and customers must be pre-confirmed either through our online volunteer sign-up or our online appointment systems. 

  • We are following CDC guidance and Virginia law in regards to COVID precautions. .

  • Volunteers/customers should not visit  if they have any COVID symptoms, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days. 

  • All Volunteers attending an indoor volunteer event at the Earth Sangha office must be vaccinated and wear a mask. (Volunteers/customers who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear a face mask while at the Wild Plant Nursery/field sites. Volunteers/customers who are not fully vaccinated must wear a face mask while at the Wild Plant Nursery/ field sites.) 

  • Volunteers/customers must practice social-distancing.

  • Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own work gloves and water bottles.

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Old Pots?
We can reuse quart and gallon sized pots, plug trays, and carrying trays in good condition. Please feel free to drop them off in our Pot Drop Off Bins adjacent to our pot storage area.

Directions to the Nursery

The Wild Plant Nursery is located off 6100 Cloud Drive in Grove Point Park in Springfield, Virginia. Access is from Franconia Road (644). From Franconia, turn north on Thomas Drive. (There is a traffic light at Thomas and Franconia. Thomas is less than half a mile east of the 395/95 intersection.) From Thomas Drive, turn right onto Meriwether Lane. Turn left onto Cloud Drive. There is a park entrance at the end of Cloud. Please park in the parking lot at the bottom of the entrance road, then walk down the gravel road along the community gardens. Our nursery lies beyond the community gardens.

 

Pricing:

Trees, shrubs, and woody vines: Gallon​

  • Non-member $20 

  • Member $15

  • Public Lands $10 (Fairfax County owned properties qualify for further discounts. Please email us at orders@earthsangha.org.)

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Herbaceous: Quart pots 

  • Non-member $8 

  • Member $6

  • Public Lands $4 (Fairfax County owned properties qualify for further discounts. Please email us at orders@earthsangha.org.)​

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Herbaceous: Plugs (Plugs are purchased by the tray (21 or 50 cell trays) and cannot be purchased individually.)

  • Non-member $2/plug

  • Member $1.50/plug

  • Public Lands $1.00/plug (Fairfax County owned properties qualify for further discounts. Please email us at orders@earthsangha.org.)

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Earth Sangha members qualify for discount prices of 25% off per pot and $0.25 off per plug. Membership starts at $35 per year. You can become a member at the nursery, or use our Donate page.

For Home Gardeners and Hobbyists:

 

Native plants make attractive and hardy additions to the home garden. They provide habitat for native wildlife, including songbirds and butterflies. You can purchase plants by appointment at the Wild Plant Nursery or place an order online for curbside pick up. Please email us at orders@earthsangha.org to place an order or for help developing your species list. For advice on how to get start with native plants, suggested species list, and more, visit our Compendium Page. 

For Natural Resources Professionals:

 

We can supply plants for your restoration project. All our plants are 100% local ecotype, grown from seed or spores collected in the wild; we do not sell cultivars or stock of unknown provenance. We can also help select appropriate species for your project and we may be able to offer on-site assistance. We offer discounted rates for local restoration projects and can work with within your budget. If you are a natural areas manager or conservationist in the Washington, DC, region, we would be interested in hearing about your planting needs. To organize an order for your project, please contact us as early in your planning process as possible!

For Educators:

 

Native plant gardens are a great tool for teaching students about local ecosystems and fostering environmental stewardship. We have over a decade of experience in supplying DC-area schools with native plants. We can also offer advice on how to landscape with natives. If your school is organizing a native plant garden, please contact us as early in your planning process as possible. Click here to download our Wild Garden Manual for information on how to plan your native plant garden and our discounted school kits. We would also be happy to host your students at the nursery or one of our field sites, for a hands-on, educational field trip. Please email Matt at mbright@earthsangha.org to schedule a visit. 

Earth Sangha's Native Plant Compendium

Aren't sure where to start? To better refine plant selection, check out our Native Plant Compendium – an online resource that lists all the species we have in propagation at our Wild Plant and where best to plant them.

Banner: Customers at the Wild Plant Nursery during the 2013 Fall Open House and Plant Sale. Photo by Chris Bright.

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