SAN ANTONIO – Drier times have people looking for the perfect companion for a breath of fresh air. A recently-launched San Antonio business is thriving in the middle of the pandemic, in part, thanks to the popularity of social media and the health benefits their products offer.
Burgeon Plant Co. rooted out of a cargo truck when they first launched in the summer of this year.
“It was about halfway through our (truck) build in March when everything started shutting down, and then we found out that agriculture businesses were still allowed to operate,” Jasmine Garza said. “So we thought we’ll just push forward.”
Jasmine Garza and Hector Rivera are the co-owners of Burgeon Plant Co. Pop-up shops and farmers markets helped the duo generate income during the pandemic, however, their business was blooming and they needed more space.
“I think plants are a form of therapy,” Garza said. “As hard as everything is right now (due to the pandemic), I think people are looking for a hobby.”
If you’re driving down South Presa, you’ll notice Burgeon Plant Co. is the shop on the 23300 block nestled around a tattoo parlor and coffee shop. Customers can find cacti, succulents, foliage, herbs, carnivorous plants and more.
“We focus on tropical,” Garza said. “We have plants for beginners (and) for people that have been in to this for a while now.”
Garza said this fresh, green hobby can help customers relax.
“Bringing that green inside just kind of lift your spirits (because) you can see new growth every day,” Garza said. “There are studies that show the mental health benefits of having plants indoors and around you. It just forces us to pause and slow down, to take care of something outside of ourselves.”
The most popular purchase among plant lovers are called snake plants, a low-maintenance option.
“The mother-in-law is what people refer to them as,” Garza said. “They’re one of the best air purifiers so, that’s why people like them, and they’re, like, really hard to kill.”
A snake plant only needs to be watered twice a month during the summer and once a month in cooler temperatures.
There are also options that will keep the kids entertained and educated.
“We do have a terrarium bar, which I think is pretty unique. It’s really fun to see the kids get excited about that and build their own terrarium,” Garza said.
The bar allows for the customer to choose their succulent, proper soil and natural rocks to create their terrarium.
Garza and Rivera said they’re thankful for the outpouring of support from San Antonio plant lovers and plan to soon expand their services.
“We want to eventually do workshops and have cut flowers,” Garza said.
Prices range from $2.50 to $400 for rare tropical plants.
For more on Burgeon Plant Co., click here.