Jungle Music Nursery
Rare Palm Tree, Cycad &Tropical Plants Nursery Tour

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Jungle Music, a Southern California Palm Tree, Cycad and Tropical Plant Nursery.  Our nursery was started in 1977 and specializes in palm trees, cycads and tropical plants.  We trust that, after you read this and visit the nursery, you'll understand why many feel the Jungle Music is the best source for unusual plants in Southern California. 

HISTORY OF THE NURSERY
BEGAN IN SAN DIEGO, MOVED TO ENCINITAS, CA

History of Jungle Music:  

Our origin began as a "backyard nursery" in 1977 in San Diego.  It was a one-man operation.  Because we needed more room to display plant material, in 1994 I conducted a search for the perfect location for our nursery.  This led us to the coastal town of Encinitas, about 25 miles north of San Diego.  We found an ideal location minutes off Freeway 5 and about a quarter mile from the ocean.  The photo shows the entrance to our nursery.

Encinitas has always been known as a friendly small town with beautiful beaches and a friendliness to the agricultural industry.  Like so many flower and plant nurseries in Encinitas, ours is neatly and privately nestled in a quaint residential area.  We moved our inventory to the new location.
So, in 1995, our new address became 450 Ocean View Ave, Encinitas, CA  92024. 
The photo to the right of my son and I was taken the first year we were at our new location.  Over time we've added shade areas, an education center, and additional greenhouses.  This included over a mile of wooden tables to display the plants.  With our expansion, we grew to presently have over a quarter million plants for sale (all sizes) of over 1200 species.  This includes everything from small starter plants to large specimens.  

Over time the nursery further expanded and now our nursery occupies about 2.5 acres including additional growing areas.  Customers have been amazed at our expansion and improvements over the years.  One of the plants that traveled north with us from San Diego to the new location is this one hundred year old Dioon merolae seen to the right. 

WHY OUR NURSERY IS DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS

We Propagate Our Own Plants:  

Most nurseries and chain stores do not propagate the plants they sell.  They merely buy in material or broker plants from distant areas, often out of state or from tropical areas.  This is the case with well over half of the nurseries you might visit.  Such imported plants are often not acclimated or used to our local weather and tend to do poorly and have a high mortality rate in this area.  We usually germinate and grow most of our own plant material locally.  Our plants get used to our local sun and weather conditions.  We've also found that customers uniformly have great results with our plants. 

Our Website Was a First Website on Palms and Cycads - And Now Is One of the Biggest:

In the year 1995, www.junglemusic.net became one of the very first websites in the world that dealt with palm trees and cycads.  It started small and rudimentary but has also improved and expanded tremendously over the years.  It includes well over a hundred articles on the plants and the nursery and has over 20,000 photographs.  It has specific articles on plant species and current Sales Plants.  And, it is improved and updated almost daily.  Many tens of thousands of man hours have been spent on it.  And, at the time of writing this Tour, almost twelve million visitors have been to our Site and it hosts more pictures and articles on palms than any other commercial palm nursery site.    

We Offer a Huge Selection with Many Sizes of Plants:  

We offer one of the largest selections of palms and cycads of any nursery in Southern California.  You'll find species offered nowhere else.  We have received hundreds of thousands of seeds from all over the world and have an active, pro-conservation propagation plan.  When you visit us, you'll see plants of all sizes and ages from new seedlings to big boxed specimens.  You'll see our seed germination areas.  We have tens of thousands of young seedlings giving a choice of plants almost anyone can afford.  And, 99% of these are locally grown and propagated.

We Offer the Most Rare and Unusual Species:

Presently we offer over 1200 species of plants for sale.  For a new person to plants, coming to our nursery can be a bit intimidating.  This is because we offer so many diverse species of plants in many size.  Customers are used to a nursery with about five or ten choices - that's all.  With many hundreds of choices, such a customer almost always needs help.  And, we are experts at giving assistance to them.  Our design and cultural advice is always available when you visit the nursery. 
 

We Germinate Seeds to Produce Out Plants: 

For a nursery to do what we do, it has to actively germinate seeds.  And, this we do - by the thousands every year.  We then spend many years getting these new seedlings up to the sizes that people want.  Photos here show flats of seeds waiting for germination.  To the right is a bucket of newly germinated and healthy rare species of Archontophoenix one year after germination. 

We Offer Plants from Seedling Stage to Large Specimens

 As mentioned, we sell plants of all sizes.  Our smallest are seedlings or "band" sized plants.  Larger from there include one gallon, two gallon, five gallon and 15 to 35 gallon plants or 24 inch boxes.  Our larger plants are typically grown outdoors.  These sizes are typically instantly ready for planting.  Photos here show an assortment of sizes.  you purchase a 30 inch
 

Our Cultural Expertise and Help Selecting the Right Plants: 

As a group of plant experts, we have over one hundred years of joint plant experience among the staff.  Thus, either myself or any of our staff can assist you in finding the right species of plants for your garden.  It doesn't matter what type of plants you like, we'll most likely have someone very knowledgeable on those plants.  If we don't have the plants you seek, we can usuaslly give you a referral to a reputable other nursery.  We also offer a consultation service where one of our staff can visit you home and make suggestions for the right plants to try.  We offer free design and species consultations at our Nursery.

WE ARE A FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

Although the nursery was started by Phil, almost every member of his family has participated over time in the nursery's growth and success.  This includes his son Jesse and wife Mitzi. .  We also have a staff of about nine well-educated plant people that help with sales and support of the nursery. 

Phil Bergman

Jesse

Mitzi

OTHER STAFF MEMBERS

Ricardo

Joaquin

Rusty

Blanca Bergman, Jesse's wife	Alma	Bob & Mat on right, occasional
Jenna	Tori	Brendan

Click to  SEE MORE ABOUT ALL OF OUR STAFF

PLANTS AT THE NURSERY

Many Sizes of Plants to Choose From - Up to Large, Overhead Specimens: 

Our present inventory includes rare and unusual species of palm trees, cycads, tropical plants and some succulents.  We concentrate on plant sizes that people can lift and plant without heavy equipment.  For those who want crane sized material, we have several associates that we work with closely and can provide and have delivered plants up to thirty feet tall.  We do offer a delivery service for plants that won't fit into your car or truck.  But, for most customers, delivery is not needed.  We load your vehicle for you.

 Species Diversity, Unusually and Seldom Seen Species and Plant Quality:

The diversity and quality of our plants is second to none.  We grow about 1200 different species and have a quarter million plants available for sale.  This includes plants for shade and sun - plants that stay short and plants that get tall - plants that are rare or common - and trees that will take your breath away.  And, we offer cultural information on anything you buy! Also, the greenhouses are not heated, so our plants tend to be very durable. 

Photos of Some Nursery Plants: