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16 CapitalPress.com August 18, 2017 Nursery still blossoms 108 years after opening SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Chris Untermann, manager of West End Nursery, says his green thumb is in his genes. “Leaving Germany in search of the American dream, my great-great uncle and horticulturist Richard Lohrmann bought some land in San Rafael, California, in 1909,” Untermann said. “There, he opened a small neighborhood nursery serving the community where he lived and worked.” Lohrmann sold the opera- tion to his nephew, Karl Un- termann in the 1960s. Chris Untermann is the fourth gen- eration to operate the nursery. Chris Untermann worked at the nursery through his high school and college years on weekends and whenever he was available. He started full- time 20 years ago, after he graduated from the University of California-Davis with a de- gree in agriculture economics. The sprawling operation boasts 2 acres of plant mate- rial purchased from whole- salers around California and Oregon. All plants are geared to Northern California’s climate. “Japanese maples are our most popular and expensive plants that we sell,” he said. The prices range from $50 for a small tree to around $600 for ones over 15 feet. But West End Nursery is about more than sales. “In addition to sales, we spend a lot of time identify- ing plants for people,” Unter- mann said. “Customers bring in leaves or send pictures and we tell them what it is. We also help customers with problems they are having in their gar- den.” The busiest time of the year is March to June, but the nurs- ery’s Christmas House is also popular. The seasonal treat be- gan in 1985 to create a niche market for well-priced, unique ornaments and decorations. Over the last 30 years, it has grown to include more than 60 glittering trees, be- coming a holiday tradition in the community. Untermann said there has always been an interest in drought-resistant plants, and that demand has accelerated. A high percentage of the nurs- ery’s plants are drought-tol- erant. Highly efficient drought-tolerant plants also come from places like Austra- lia, where they have more wa- ter problems than California. Changes have been ongo- Courtesy West End Nursery Chris Untermann, manager of West End Nursery in San Rafael, Calif., says he solves customers plant and lawn prob- lems with innovation and years of know-how. ing but one thing remains con- stant: Every customer wants instant visual satisfaction, he said. Plants need to be in full color and good size to start — no more waiting for things to grow. There are also challenges the founder in 1909 did not experience. “On the upside, it is hard to ship a plant, so nurseries are fortunate to not have to try and compete against Amazon,” he said. “However, the big box stores are always a threat to independent nurseries, but as long as we can provide quality plants and quality service that is hard to find in other places, I think the nursery business should be fine.” The only other fear is a ma- jor drought, he said, “though this last one was surprisingly not bad for business, as cus- tomers replaced lawns, but a five-plus-year drought could be disastrous.” CIDER APPLE TREES Bare Root Nursery Stock Bittersweet • Bittersharp Wholesale • Retail VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR AVAILABILITY ciderbabies.com • 503-703-3730 N17-1/#T3D For the Capital Press N17-3/#5 By JULIA HOLLISTER
