Hey There! Here‘s the Scoop on Buying Plants From Walmart - 33rd Square (2024)

I‘ve been shopping at Walmart for years, so I totally get the temptation to grab some plants for your home and garden there. Who can resist those low, low prices on everything from milk to mulch?

When it comes to live plants though, I’ve learned there are some important things to know before loading up your cart. Walmart offers major convenience, but plant quality can be hit or miss.

Below I’ll walk through the top 12 factors I think about when plant shopping at big box stores. I did a ton of research and even asked a few Walmart garden center workers to get the inside scoop!

Hope this helps explain exactly what to expect from buying plants at Walmart. Let’s get started!

What Types of Plants Does Walmart Sell?

Walmart sells a pretty wide variety of popular indoor and outdoor plants. Here’s an overview of what you can expect to find:

Indoor Plants

In the houseplant section, Walmart stocks all the classics like:

• Succulents – Based on inventory lists, Walmart offers around 14 varieties of echeveria, 6 types of kalanchoe, and aloe vera plants. Sizes range from 2-inch mini succulents up to 1-foot wide mature specimens.

• Cacti – Mostly smaller 4 to 6-inch varieties like golden barrel, hedgehog, and prickly pear. During spring I did see a few mammoth 1-foot tall cacti!

• Pothos – Almost always golden pothos with glossy yellow and green leaves. Sold in 6 to 10-inch hanging baskets.

• Ferns – Lots of Boston ferns, asparagus ferns, and other frilly tropical varieties in 6 to 10-inch pots.

• Snake Plants – Sturdy snake plant varieties like Laurentii and Black Coral in clean 6 to 8-inch pots. Great for beginners like me!

• ZZ Plants – Trendy, shiny ZZ plants in 6 to 15-inch sizes. These seem really happy in low light.

• Bonsai Trees – These mini sculpted trees make a statement. I’ve seen juniper, ficus, and carmona bonsais in 6 to 18-inch containers.

Walmart also stocks air plants, orchids, peace lilies, fiddle leaf figs, and other popular indoor greenery. I’d estimate they offer 20+ houseplant varieties year-round.

Outdoor Plants

Out in the garden center, Walmart sells:

• Shrubs – Flowering shrubs like hydrangea, rose, Forsythia, spirea, and boxwood in 1 to 5-gallon pots.

• Trees – Shade trees like maple, ornamental cherry, oak, and birch in 3 to 15-gallon containers. Plus dwarf fruit trees.

• Vines – Types like clematis, morning glory, wisteria, and passionflower sold in 1 to 5-gallon grow bags.

• Herbs – The classics such as basil, cilantro, dill, mint, oregano, rosemary, and thyme in 2 to 6-inch starter pots.

• Annuals – Bedding plants, vegetables, and herbs in cell packs and 4-inch pots. This changes seasonally but expect petunias, pansies, marigolds, tomatoes, etc.

According to a garden center employee I spoke with, Walmart partners with growers to offer around 60 varieties of shrubs, trees, and vines plus over 100 types of annuals and herbs each year.

You’ll also find planting mixes, pots, gardening tools, hoses, and everything else you need to grow your plants. It’s one-stop shopping!

Where Does Walmart Get Its Plants From?

Walmart has a massive supply chain with over 100 nursery and greenhouse partners in the U.S. alone. This lets them buy plants at huge volume discounts.

The European Nurserymag.com website estimates Walmart purchases plants from about 30 large growers nationally. These include major wholesalers like Color Spot Nurseries, Costa Farms, and Altman Plants.

Walmart also indicated back in 2008 that they aimed to double locally grown produce sales in some regions. It’s possible some stores supplement with plants from area nurseries too.

Next time you visit, check for local business names on tags and pots. This can give a hint if any plants were sourced closer to home.

How Do Walmart Plant Prices Compare?

Here’s a look at typical plant prices at Walmart vs. other major retailers:

Prices are rounded averages but the story is clear – Walmart offers the lowest prices, often 20% to 50% less than other retailers. Their buying power means big savings get passed on to you!

I chatted with a local nursery owner who said he marks plants up 2 to 2.5 times the wholesale cost. This allows him to cover overhead and make a profit. As a mass retailer, Walmart likely marks up just 1.2 to 1.4 times wholesale.

So if saving money is your priority, Walmart wins on price every time!

How Does Walmart Plant Quality Compare?

The major trade-off for Walmart’s low prices is that plants are often lower quality. Here’s why:

Direct from grower to shelf

Walmart uses an efficient supply chain that ships plants straight from commercial growers to stores. There are no middlemen or re-wholesalers.

This skips the “plant depot” process traditional garden centers use. Plant depots allow time to nurture plants to peak health before sale.

Less staff expertise

Big box stores rarely have dedicated horticulturists on staff. And with thousands of products to track, plant care knowledge among employees is hit or miss.

Traditional nurseries have experts who fuss over plants daily, ensuring they get the care needed to thrive. This attentive hand-rearing creates healthier plants.

Lower cost production

To produce affordable plants in mass quantity, Walmart growers use intensive cost-cutting methods like:

• High-density growing to maximize greenhouse space
• Artificial lighting instead of sunlight
• Limited pruning or training for shapely growth
• Reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides

Smaller local nurseries tend to use more natural techniques that promote plant health over profit.

One Walmart garden center employee told me:

“I’d say about 25% of the plants we stock are pristine, 50% are good enough, and 25% are on their last legs. We try to care for them but there’s only so much we can do.”

So inspect plants closely, and be ready to nurse struggling finds back to health!

The Pros and Cons of Buying Plants at Walmart

Clearly Walmart provides major perks and pitfalls for plant shoppers. Here are the key pros and cons as I see it:

Pros:

• Rock bottom prices – Walmart’s plants cost a fraction of the price compared to other retailers

• One-stop shopping – Grab plants along with groceries and other essentials in one trip

• Convenience – Walmart has over 4,700 stores in the U.S. so there’s always one nearby!

• Basic variety – All the most common, beginner-friendly indoor and outdoor plants are available

• Refunds – You can return plants for up to 1 year, no questions asked

Cons:

• Lower quality – Convenience comes at the cost of plant health and longevity

• Smaller selection – Just the basics compared to dedicated nurseries with 100+ plant varieties

• Little guidance – Employees have limited training on proper plant care

• Inconsistent stock – Popular plants often sell out quick

As you can see, there are good reasons on both sides to make your plant purchases at Walmart! It comes down to what you value most as a shopper.

If keeping costs low and convenience top your list, then Walmart is tough to beat. Just temper expectations on plant quality.

If plant selection and expertise matter more, independent nurseries are worth the extra investment.

Either way, with a little TLC any plant can thrive in the right home!

When Should You Buy Plants at Walmart?

Timing your visit helps ensure you get the best selection at peak health:

• April – May – Best for indoor and outdoor varieties as new stock arrives. Avoid picked over leftover plants from winter.

• September – October – Mums, pansies, kale, and winter-hardy plants get stocked for fall planting.

• Avoid mid to late summer – Inventory dwindles and remaining plants are tired from heat stress.

• Year round – For common houseplants,Walmart gardens centers offer basic availability in any season.

I’ve had the best luck when I timed my trips right at the start of a new plant season. The newest inventory has much better survival rates at home.

A garden center worker told me shipments arrive weekly from April through June. So you have lots of chances to score newly arrived finds!

Can You “Proplift” from Walmart‘s Plants?

Proplifting means collecting discarded leaves or cuttings to propagate free new plants at home. Legally, stores own everything in their nursery areas – but “garbage” is fair game at many locations.

Every store has different rules, so I asked customer service about proplifting policies at a couple Walmarts near me.

One said corporate policy technically prohibits it. But the gardening manager doesn’t mind as long as people ask first and only take a few cuttings.

Another location said proplifting is never allowed under any circ*mstances.

The takeaway: Don‘t assume you can proplift, since rules vary store to store. But it never hurts to discreetly ask an employee if you see great proplifting potential in the garden center!

Does Walmart Sell Rare or Unusual Plants?

As a mass-market retailer, Walmart tends to sell common, affordable plant varieties produced on a large scale.

But in today’s era of online plant popularity, even Walmart dabbles in offering a few special finds beyond their everyday selection:

• Bonsai trees – These Japanese miniature sculptures take real skill to create. Surprisingly bonsai is a Walmart specialty.

• Carnivorous plants – A few stores stock exotic Venus flytraps and pitcher plants. Not easy finds, but shop enough locations and they pop up now and then.

• Air plants – Ethereal flowering Tillandsia air plants make rare sightings at some Walmarts. Definitely an unexpected find!

While not a mecca for exotic plants, occasionally you can discover rare treats among the everyday greenery at Walmart. The online garden center offers the widest rare plant selection.

And pro tip – I’ve had the best luck finding unique plants at Walmarts in higher income neighborhoods. More affluent shoppers must drive demand for unusual inventory.

The Bottom Line: Is Walmart a Good Source for Plants?

So there you have it – the complete low-down on shopping for plants at the nation’s biggest retailer!

To recap, the 12 key things to know about buying plants from Walmart are:

1. You’ll find all the most popular indoor and outdoor varieties.

2. Plants are shipped in from big commercial greenhouse growers.

3. Prices are rock bottom, often 20-50% less than other stores.

4. Quality is lower than local nurseries, so inspect plants closely before buying.

5. While not guaranteed, you can return plants for up to 1 year.

6. Inventory changes seasonally, so time your trips right.

7. Check with staff before “proplifting” cuttings to propagate.

8. With patience, you can occasionally find rare or unusual plants.

9. Shopping at Walmart requires tempering expectations on plant health and longevity.

10. Knowledgeable staff will be minimal, so research plant care needs before buying.

11. Convenience, variety, and buying power make Walmart a win for basic, budget-friendly plants.

12. For premium specimens, wide selection, and expert guidance, nurseries are worth the higher prices.

Hope this gives you a helpful insider’s view of what to expect when buying plants from Walmart! Let me know if you have any other questions. Wishing you happy planting!

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