A Succulent Lover's Guide to Northern California Nurseries


But although I like nurseries generally, I am interested in succulents particularly, and these reviews are all about how useful these nurseries are for succulent fanatics like yours truly, NOT in general. 

In the leftmost column, you'll find contact information, maps, and links to each place, along with my overall "succ rating."  Basically here's the meaning of my scores.  If I don't think a place is worth visiting at all, or it has no succs, I'm not listing it.

1/5 = Worth popping by only if you happen to be standing outside it.
2/5 = May have a few virtues, but not worth going out of your way for.
3/5 = Solid choice.  Worth stopping for a look if you're already in town.
4/5 = Seriously succs.  I dare you to leave without a plant.
5/5 = OMG--a succ-er's dream!  Worth a pilgrimage to get here.


The Potting Shed
55A Bolinas Rd
Fairfax, CA (map)
(415) 455-9459
Nursery website  |   Yelp link
A teensy, lovely shop with good-looking echeverias and a nice selection of air plants.  The prices are high ($4 for two-inchers, plus pots that sell for about 15% less elsewhere), but it's worth a visit if you're already in the area.  You won't find anything particularly unusual here, but they use their tiny space well, and the store's various plantings are sure to spark your creativity.   Bonus tip: the nearby Barefoot Cafe is a great coffee and breakfast stop.

Berkeley Horticultural Nursery
1310 McGee Ave.
Berkeley, CA (map)
(510) 526-4704
Nursery website  |  Yelp link
Although their succulent selection isn't large, it's well-selected, particularly for Northern California growers (e.g., I found a greenovia here in 2011, when they were even harder to find than they are now).  The nursery is located in a lovely North Berkeley neighborhood, and as is typical in Berkeley, the prices are moderate to high.  Parking is limited, so expect a few blocks' walk.  Somewhat inexplicably, they are closed on Thursdays.  
Berkeley Dry Garden
Berkeley Horticultural Nursery
Overall succ rating: 3/5
  • Very nice employees: knowledgeable, friendly, patient
  • Beautiful nursery layout; great use of the space
  • Typical Berkeley prices (moderate to high)
  • Can be hard to find parking--street parking only, and popular grocery store nearby
  • Closed on Thursdays
  • Located in a lovely North Berkeley neighborhood
Cactus Jungle


Peninsula (between SF and San Jose)



          Selection



          Pros



          Cons



          Other Notes
Half Moon Bay Nursery
Overall succ rating: 4/5
number
address (map)
Nursery website
Yelp link
  • Great selection that seems to get bigger every time I visit
  • Especially good echeveria, cactus, and agave selection
  • Semp selection is usually not great
  • Sizes range widely; great for any budget
  • Low prices
  • Selection changes often
  • For the most part, plants quite healthy
  • Wonderful staff--very friendly
  • Haworthia sometimes overwatered/mushy
  • I've seen white flies on their semps multiple times
  • Staff always very nice, but no special knowledge of succs
  • Fun fact: Robin Stockwell of Succulent Gardens in Castroville got his start here
  • They close at 5 sharp daily
  • Hwy 92 is crowded, so plan accordingly
Golden Nursery
Overall succ rating: 3/5
1122 2nd Ave.
San Mateo, CA (map)
(650) 348-5525
Nursery website
Yelp link
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Redwood City Nursery
Overall succ rating: 2.5/5
number
address (map)
Nursery website
Yelp link
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Wegman's Nursery
Overall succ rating: 3/5
number
address (map)
Nursery website
Yelp link
  • Relatively small selection
  • Has interesting cacti picks from Lone Pine--I even picked up a purple sulcorebutia here
  • Selection lousy in winter, early spring
  • M&M Nursery is only about a block a way, so it's a great 2-for-1 visit (check out M&M first because they're cheaper)
  • Overpriced (typical for the peninsula)
  • Service seems kind of absent
  • Sedums and misc other succs are located in a totally different section and are hard to find
  • Taqueria next door has cheap, tasty tacos
  • Park at PetCo if you can't find a spot in the Wegman's lot
M&M Nursery
Overall succ rating: 2.5/5
number
address (map)
Nursery website
Yelp link
  • Succ selection is usually small and highly variable; you never know what you will--or won't--find. 
  • Some terrific deals--I got an aloe polyphylla there for $15, and a 1-gal echeveria Doris Taylor for only $8
  • Close to Wegman's
  • The people there don't seem to know much about succs, and aren't very helpful in general
  • Tends to be rather disorganized
  • They always say they're going to get more succs in a week, but this never seems to happen.
Roger Reynolds Nursery and Carriage Stop
Overall succ rating: 2/5
address (map)
(xxx) xxx-xxxx
Nursery website
Yelp link
  • Some interesting crassula and kalanchoes
  • Few semps or echeverias
  • Nothing too unusual
  • Beautiful nursery
  • Easy parking
  • Staff not very knowledgeable about succulents
  • High prices
  • Sometimes they way overwater succs.
  • I went 3 consecutive weeks and each time they told me they'd  get more succulents in in "a few days."  Didn't happen.
OC Succulents
Overall succ rating: 9.5/10
number
address (map)
Nursery website
Yelp link
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San Diego
area



          Selection



          Pros



          Cons



          Other Notes
Waterwise Botanicals
Overall succ rating: 9/10
number
address (map)
Nursery website
Yelp link
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Gardens By the Sea
Overall succ rating: 9.5/10
number
address (map)
Nursery website
Yelp link
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Glorious Gardens
number
address (map)
Nursery website
Yelp link
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Solana Succulents
number
address (map)
Nursery website
Yelp link
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