Paul Ecke Ranch, best known for increasing the popularity of poinsettias at Christmas, has announced that it will not grow most of its finished poinsettia crop this season. Instead, Armstrong Garden Centers, headquartered in Glendora, Calif., will produce the plants and sell them under the Paul Ecke Ranch brand name.

This change can be attributed to several factors, says Paul Ecke Ranch president Andy Higgins. "The first reason is that we purchased Oglevee and acquired 1,700 new customers and new product lines." This change would allow the company to focus on the expansion and, more specifically, focus on producing cuttings — which constitute about 95 percent of their business.

Another reason is an unresolved rezoning issue. Two years ago, the Paul Ecke Ranch proposed rezoning 38 of its 68 acres from agriculture to residential — the company wanted to sell this land and use the profit to modernize its greenhouses. The city of Encinitas, Calif., however, voted against the measure, disallowing the rezoning. "This was definitely one of the factors," Higgins says. "It's hard to grow a modern crop with modern quality in 50-year-old greenhouses."

Despite the fact that finished poinsettias do not constitute large part of Ecke's business, "it was part of our history for 80 years, so it was an emotional decision," says Shaner.  

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 

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