Updates since Hurricane Milton
OCTOBER 14, 2024
Dear friends of Tropiflora:
Thank you, thank you most sincerely, for your help, love and friendship expressed to our staff post Hurricane Milton. The support you have shown overwhelms us and will help greatly in our recovery. Our chief concern is with our employees, as they are bearing the brunt of the recovery work under extremely difficult conditions.
With nearly all our structures destroyed, shade for the plants is the most critical need, and our ladies and men are working very hard to salvage what they can from the rubble to cover the plants from the worst of the elements. There will be losses, especially among the potted plants, and this may affect current orders.
Shipping is suspended until next week. Orders will be sent as soon as possible. We only had power restored yesterday, and many of our employees still have none at home. Whether FedEx, UPS and the US Postal Service, locally, are up and running, we have yet to determine. Many customers in local counties are still largely without power, including critical services. Your understanding will be much appreciated regarding any delays.
We never expect events like this, and when they happen, we are forced to “wing it” with regards to nearly every aspect of our business.
Tropiflora will survive. We plan to attend all shows on our fall schedule and will have a good array of plants for sale.
We along with us, our daughter, Robin and son, Scott, and managers Brian Weber and Veronica Orozco all wish to express our gratitude to you all. Many people gave to our Go Fund Me account. Some have storm issues of their own to deal with. Some chose to remain anonymous, but we plan to write to each of you individually as time permits. We feel your love. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
- Dennis & Linda Cathcart
OCTOBER 13, 2024
A little update: Grateful is an understatement on how we feel. Before our initial post- we were discouraged, trying to figure out what to do, as our nursery is in pieces scattered throughout the place.
Once we made our first announcement, an overwhelming amount of people contacted us offering volunteering, donations, and even plants from their own collection. Words cannot express our gratitude.
All the employees that could, showed up on Friday after Hurricane Milton ready to help clean up the mess that used to be their workplace. We are so proud to say we are not laying off ANY of our employees. Their continued efforts in the rain, 100+ degree weather, floods, and etc. is appreciated endlessly.
Currently, we are not accepting volunteers. The nursery is unsafe for people to walk through right now. We do not want to risk people getting injured trying to help. If this changes, we will be sure to make an announcement.
Our GoFundMe, we cannot say THANK YOU enough to every one who has donated, shared, or ordered on our website. It really means so much to recognize many of the names that have showed up and new names who just discovered us. We will make an official statement about it soon.
Pictured is Robin & Scott after a day of picking up plants off the ground, plant area cleaned up, putting shade cloth on plants, and our very important helpers Luna & Daisy.
We are incredibly lucky to have a community so supportive. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. We could not do this without you.
october 12, 2024
Dear friends,
After almost 50 years in business, Tropiflora Nursery is asking for your help.
What started off as a curiosity for these strange plants growing on the sides of trees and cliffs became a world-renowned Bromeliad collection that many people from all over the world come to see. Tropiflora Nursery was started by Dennis Cathcart back in 1976, as a passion to introduce these exotic plants to plant enthusiasts. Dennis & his wife, Linda, traveled all of Central & South America collecting these plants to research and study with local Botanical Research Centers and Universities. After many years, and tons of plants named after them (Neoregelia cathcartii, Tillandsia cathcartii, Neoregelia ‘Linda Cathcart’ to name a few), the collection grew into a business that ships regularly to all 50 states, Asia, and certain countries in Europe. Our database has over 2,000 different named varieties of bromeliads and tillandsias (air plants).
Hurricane Milton devastated us, along with our community of Sarasota, FL. Fortunately, in the past, we have been able to pick up the pieces and the plants after every storm, but this is different. Fourteen greenhouses, out of twenty, have completely collapsed on the plants and are unrepairable. Our nearly four acres of shade greenhouses are without shade. With the sun peeking through every day, we are unsure how many plants will make it.
We currently have 14 staff members, one who has been with us for over 30 years, and others who have been with us for over 20 years. Our team is working endlessly to salvage our plants and repair to the best of our ability.
If you are able to donate OR purchase something from our website
(Tropiflora.com), we will appreciate it. Your help will keep our nursery running. We are assessing the damages to see if there is a possibility of rebuilding the broken structures.
We have always depended on our customers, but now we are asking for your help.