AmericanHort Nursery Tour 2026:
Innovation in Action
Discover the future of nursery production where tradition meets cutting-edge technology, efficiency, and plant innovation.
September 29-30, 2026
Join AmericanHort for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes Oregon Nursery Tour featuring some of the most innovative and respected wholesale nurseries in North America. This multi-day experience takes you deep into the heart of the Willamette Valley and surrounding growing regions to explore world-class, modern nurseries that skillfully blend multi-generational family expertise with high-tech solutions, sustainable practices, and progressive plant development.
From specialized breeding programs to large-scale plant production, robotics to precision growing techniques, and everything in between, you’ll get a front row seat to how today’s modern nursery operations solve challenges, deliver high-quality plants, and serve their customers. Whether you’re focused on improving efficiency, adopting new technologies, enhancing branded offerings, or building a stronger operation, this tour delivers practical insights you can implement immediately.
Limited registration for maximum interaction and learning, the AmericanHort Nursery Tour is your opportunity to see innovation growing — literally! — at scale in today’s modern nursery operations.
September 29-30
Willamette Valley Oregon
Pricing
$329
Premium Members
$399
Members
$549
Non-Members
Not a Member?
Why Attend
This tour gives you rare, on-site access to nine of Oregon’s most respected nurseries, each demonstrating how successful operations are blending heritage with high-tech horticulture.
See real-world applications of robotics, drones, mechanization, branded breeding programs, advanced propagation, and precision ag systems in action. Get actionable ideas to boost efficiency, reduce labor demands, improve plant quality, and strengthen your bottom line.
Connect directly with fellow growers and host nurseries in an intimate setting, and return home inspired with fresh, practical strategies you can implement immediately in your own operation.
Learning Objectives
Explore diverse production systems including bareroot, B&B, container, pot-in-pot, and root bag methods across a wide range of woody ornamentals, trees, shrubs, perennials, conifers, and specialty crops.
Get insights into breeding, trialing, and branded plant programs that drive consumer demand and market differentiation.
See real-world applications of automation and technology, including robotics, smart sprayers, spray drones, mechanized potting lines, and data-driven inventory systems.
Learn sustainable and efficiency-focused practices such as solar energy, recycled water irrigation, beneficial insects, water reclamation, and lean manufacturing.
See proven strategies for tackling key industry challenges, including labor management, plant health, post-harvest handling, and adapting to shifting market demands.
Network with fellow growers and tour hosts to exchange ideas on scaling production, improving quality, and building resilient, customer-focused businesses.
Hotel Information
Hilton Garden Inn Wilsonville (Portland)
30800 SW Parkway Ave
Wilsonville, OR 97070
Pricing
King Bed -Single Occupancy
$239
2 Queen Beds – Double Occupancy
$214
Hotel Registration Deadline - 8/29/2026
About The Stops
Bailey Nurseries is a fifth-generation, family-owned nursery headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, with operations in Oregon, Washington, Illinois, and Georgia. Founded in 1905 by J.V. Bailey, the company began by selling fruits and vegetables at the St. Paul Farmers Market and has since grown into a multi-state operation serving the nursery industry.
Today, Bailey produces a wide range of plant material and is also known for its marketing programs and plant development work. The company owns several consumer plant brands, including Endless Summer® Hydrangeas, First Editions® Plants, and Easy Elegance® Roses. Through its internal breeding and development efforts, Bailey continues to introduce new plant varieties and support its customers with both product and marketing resources.
Bailey’s operations reflect a long-standing focus on adapting to industry needs. From early innovations like cold storage to ongoing investments in production tools, mechanization, and digital systems, the company continues to evolve its approach to plant production and distribution while maintaining a strong emphasis on customer relationships and service.
What You’ll Likely Experience
- Breeding and development work (Bailey Innovations™)
- Trialing systems and evaluation process
- Branded plant programs (Endless Summer®, First Editions®, Easy Elegance®)
- Mechanization and production systems
Bountiful Farms is a third-generation, family-owned nursery located in Woodburn, Oregon, in the Willamette Valley. Founded over 30 years ago by Jay and Julia Nelson, the business grew out of the family’s background in hazelnut farming and has since expanded into a wholesale nursery operation serving customers across the United States and Canada.
The nursery specializes in ornamental trees and shrubs, including both field-grown (B&B) and pot-in-pot production. Bountiful Farms operates approximately 800 acres of production, along with 10 acres of covered growing space. Their product mix is primarily trees (72%) and shrubs (25%), with a smaller segment of sculptured and specialty plants.
Bountiful Farms integrates a range of technologies into its operation, including robotics, GPS-equipped field equipment, and spray drones to support plant health and efficiency. The company also utilizes solar energy and electric vehicles within its operation. These systems, combined with long-tenured employees and a focus on production quality, support the nursery’s approach to consistent output and operational efficiency.
What You’ll Likely Experience
- Pot-in-pot and field-grown (B&B) production systems
- Sculptured and topiary plant material
- Robotics and customized equipment in production
- Spray drone application for plant health
- Solar-powered infrastructure and electric vehicle use
- Automation demonstration
Hans Nelson & Sons Nursery, Inc. is a third-generation, family-operated wholesale nursery based in Oregon. Established in 1946, the business began with bareroot rose production before transitioning to bareroot trees in the 1960s and expanding to include container production for more challenging-to-transplant varieties.
Today, the nursery operates on 160 acres with approximately 100,000 square feet of covered production space. The operation is focused entirely on wholesale tree production, with trees representing 100% of its product mix.
The nursery utilizes key production equipment including tree diggers, potting machines, and smart sprayers, and manages operations using PlantX software. With a steady workforce of approximately 30 employees, Hans Nelson & Sons maintains a consistent staffing model year-round. The business continues to focus on wholesale production while navigating ongoing industry challenges, particularly related to labor.
What You’ll Likely Experience
- Bareroot tree production
- Container production for difficult-to-transplant trees
- Equipment (tree digger, smart sprayer, potting machine)
- Smart sprayer demonstration
Iseli Nursery is a wholesale grower with more than 50 years of experience producing dwarf conifers, Japanese maples, ornamental trees, and shrubs. The company focuses on providing a wide range of landscape plants, including its branded collections, to garden centers and landscape professionals across North America.
The nursery operates on approximately 700 acres, including both field production and container yards, supported by shade structures and greenhouse space. Iseli grows plants across more than fifty genera, offering a diverse selection of ornamental plant material.
Iseli incorporates a number of production and operational systems, including mechanized potting lines, business management software, and data reporting tools. The company has also implemented a one-megawatt solar system and utilizes recycled water for irrigation. In addition to production, Iseli continues to focus on developing and promoting plant collections, as well as engaging in marketing and education efforts through digital platforms.
What You’ll Likely Experience
- Production of dwarf conifers, Japanese maples, and ornamental plants
- Large-scale container yard and field production
- Mechanized potting lines
- Solar energy system and recycled water irrigation
- Branded plant collections (e.g., Iseli® collections)
Frank Schmidt & Son Co. is a family-owned wholesale nursery founded in 1946 in Oregon. Now in its third generation of ownership, the company has expanded from its original 10-acre operation to more than 3,000 acres across multiple farm units in the state.
The nursery specializes in the production of deciduous shade, flowering, ornamental, fruit, and conifer trees. Its operations include bare root, B&B, container, and root bag production, supported by extensive greenhouse space and cold storage facilities. The company produces and ships more than two million trees annually to customers across the United States and Canada.
Frank Schmidt & Son Co. utilizes a combination of proprietary and commercial systems to manage production, inventory, and sales. The company has implemented a range of innovations across its operation, including improvements in propagation, root cleaning, and environmental control systems. Labor, transportation costs, plant health, and input expenses remain key considerations in managing the business.
What You’ll Likely Experience
- Large-scale tree production across multiple systems (bareroot, B&B, container, root bag)
- Seedling and propagation operations (including grafting)
- Cold storage and post-harvest handling systems
- Production equipment and custom-built systems
- Innovation examples (e.g., root cleaning systems, propagation improvements)
Microplant Nurseries began in the late 1970s as a research initiative at the Oregon Graduate Center, where early breakthroughs in micropropagation inspired four partners—Adams Rootstock Inc., Stark Brothers, TRECO®, and A. McGill and Son—to form a unified company in 1980. Over the decades, the business has evolved into a leading commercial tissue culture laboratory producing millions of plantlets each year.
The company operates exclusively as a wholesale tissue culture facility, functioning as a production partner for growers who prefer not to maintain their own laboratory infrastructure. With no greenhouses or breeding programs on site, Microplant specializes in high‑volume, rapid‑turnaround shipments and supports a diverse crop portfolio including perennials, woody crops, berries, hops, grapes, and specialty plants.
Production is carried out within 20,000 square feet of controlled laboratory space supported by laminar flow hoods, autoclaves, and in‑house software systems. Microplant is recognized for its early role in scaling tissue culture production in the U.S. and for its sustainability efforts, including fully offsetting its energy use through solar power. The company employs 51 full‑time staff and maintains consistent year‑round operations.
Looking ahead, Microplant continues to navigate competitive pressures from lower‑cost international labs while responding to rising demand for tissue‑cultured ornamental grasses and lupines. Its focus on innovation, service‑based partnerships, and specialized production keeps the company positioned as a key contributor to the horticultural supply chain.
What You’ll Likely Experience
- A fully dedicated tissue culture laboratory
- High‑volume micropropagation systems and sterile production environments
- Solar‑powered operations and energy‑offset sustainability practices
- A diverse crop portfolio spanning perennials, woody crops, and specialty plants
Monrovia is a wholesale nursery founded in 1926 in Azusa, California. With production nurseries in California, Oregon, and Georgia, the company operates as a multi-site grower supplying plants to independent garden centers and national home improvement retailers across the United States.
The Oregon nursery, located in Dayton, spans approximately 711 acres, including 591 acres of field and container production and 120 acres of covered growing space. Monrovia produces a broad mix of shrubs, trees, perennials, ornamental grasses, and conifers, with product availability varying by season and production cycle.
Operations are supported by enterprise-level systems, including Oracle Cloud for inventory, finance, and supply chain management. Monrovia also utilizes data-driven approaches to production planning and maintains an active plant introduction program, trialing new varieties prior to release. The company continues to focus on balancing production efficiency, inventory management, and evolving market demand.
What You’ll Likely Experience
- Large-scale field and container production (Oregon site)
- Broad plant mix (shrubs, trees, perennials, grasses, conifers)
- Branded plant program and variety introductions
- Data-driven inventory and production planning systems
Oregon Perennial Company (OPC) was founded in 1995 and is owned by father-and-son team Piet and Andre Wierstra. The nursery began with lily bulbs and perennials, including hosta and hemerocallis, and later shifted its focus to bare root peony production, which remains its primary crop today.
Located in Oregon, OPC operates on approximately 35 acres with additional greenhouse and propagation space. The business produces both bare root peonies (65–70% of production) and cut flowers (30–35%), with annual cut flower production ranging from 500,000 to 800,000 stems.
The nursery utilizes specialized equipment for planting, digging, spraying, and bunching, along with cooler storage and hot water treatment systems for plant health management. Staffing ranges from five full-time employees to approximately 30 during peak season, supported by local contract labor. OPC continues to focus on producing high-quality plant material while addressing labor and global competition challenges.
What You’ll Likely Experience
- Bare root peony production
- Peony cut flower production (including bunching systems)
- Specialized equipment for planting, digging, and spraying
- Cooler storage and hot water treatment systems
Robinson Nursery was founded in 1984 by Rick and Roxanne Robinson and is now operated by the next generation, Chris and Josh Robinson. The nursery focuses on wholesale production of bareroot and containerized deciduous trees.
The operation includes approximately 600 acres of field production and 20 acres of covered growing space. Trees make up nearly the entire product mix, with deciduous trees representing 99.99% of production.
Robinson Nursery utilizes a range of production equipment, including potting machines, digging equipment, tractors, and forklifts, and manages operations using systems such as CompuPlants, AirTable, and QuickBooks. The nursery has developed its Grow Ready Liner™ product, which incorporates root pruning technology designed to improve root system development.
With approximately 135 employees and participation in the H-2A program, the nursery continues to manage labor, regulatory requirements, and water availability while responding to shifting market demand.
What You’ll Likely Experience
- Bareroot and container deciduous tree production
- Grow Ready Liner™ system (root pruning technology)
- Production equipment (potting machines, diggers, tractors, forklifts)
- Lean manufacturing and operational systems
Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas is a family-owned nursery established in 1968 in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Founded by Bob and Jean Fessler, the business has grown from a small greenhouse operation into a large-scale nursery spanning approximately 620 acres.
The nursery produces a mix of woody ornamentals, trees, florist azaleas, annuals, and perennials, with production supported by extensive greenhouse space and pot-in-pot systems. Woodburn operates across multiple production types and serves a range of wholesale markets, including re-wholesalers, independent garden centers, and mass retail channels.
Production is supported by automated systems including potting, spacing, and trimming equipment, as well as environmental control systems for irrigation and greenhouse management. The nursery employs approximately 250 year-round staff, with additional labor during peak seasons.
Woodburn continues to adapt its production systems and crop mix over time while managing regulatory requirements, labor considerations, and operational costs within the Oregon growing environment.
What You’ll Likely Experience
- Large-scale pot-in-pot production systems
- Florist azaleas and woody ornamental production
- Automated systems (potting, spacing, trimming)
- Greenhouse production and environmental control systems
- Sustainability practices (beneficial insects, water reclamation, solar)
- Drone demonstration
