Tram-Tex Nursery, Inc. was founded in 1972 on 23 acres of land.  Today the nursery has 34 acres in total container production and employs 20 people.  We produce a complete line of ornamental plants and trees in 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 15, and 30 gallon containers.  In addition to the growing operation, we maintain a re-wholesale yard on the front of the nursery.  We do NO “box store” business.  Everything is sold to independent retailers, re-wholesalers and landscape contractors.  Our philosophy that we try to live by is to grow a good product for a reasonable price. 

We grow a very diversified product mix including 23 varieties of Azaleas and 28 different varieties of Hollies.  The product I feel that we produce the best (and is currently selling the best right now) is our line of Nandinas, which includes 6 different varieties.  But, I would have to say that our two biggest sellers are Nandina “Gulfstream” and Loropetaium “Purple Passion”.

The one thing we could not operate without is our poly structures.  Today, we have approximately 162 poly houses.  Not only do they protect us from monster freeze loss, the plant material stays fresh and has no winter color.

Probably our biggest challenge is in the spring when everything is going on at the same time.  We encourage advance notice for pick up orders exceeding 100 plants, but most of the time this does not happen.  A typical day during the spring rush is we could be loading four trucks in the back while juggling four to six “drop-in” customers on property and behold...a customer from out of state shows up pulling a 28’ gooseneck expecting to be loaded and out the gates in two hours.  Now, le me tell you, that will play havoc with any kind of work schedule. 

I think what might set us apart from our associates (I prefer that word instead of competition) is our broad customer base that includes over 850 active customers.  By active, we mean customers that have purchased within the last year.

A large part of the success of anyone in the Horticulture business is keeping up with the changes and trends within the industry.  I have seen many of these changes over the last 35 years.  I think one way we can do this is through trade magazines and trade associations.  I am actively a member of five trade associations, a past president of the Northeast Texas Nursery Growers Association and a past chairman of Texas Nursery and Landscape Association. 

I am very proud of this company and my staff.  Especially when we have tours that include customers and other growers that comment on the neatness of the property and the plant quality.  I believe the key to our success has been the ideology that the “customer is always right”.  We strive to give the same service to the small buyer as we do the large buyer.  I think the other factor for our success is that a quality product will always sell!!