Earlier this year, Little Prince of Oregon Nursery was named Greenhouse Grower’s 2024 Operation of the Year at Cultivate’24. You can learn more about the company in Greenhouse Grower’s October cover story.
Little Prince of Oregon has built a name for itself by offering unique varieties that customers cannot find elsewhere. All photos: Saskia de Kanter
Little Prince visitors are immediately drawn to its sempervivum signage.
Little Prince’s frog logo is not just a well-recognized emblem for the company. It is also used to highlight niche plant offerings.
Coniogramme emeiensis ‘Golden Zebra’ is hardy to Zone 7 and features long (18-inch) arching fronds with lime-green striations.
Many Little Prince employees were fans of the company before they joined the team. Office Manager Zen Landis says she was wooed by one of Little Prince’s booths at the Farwest Show prior to joining the company.
Little Prince of Oregon Nursery was hand-picked by Ernie and Marietta O’Byrne, who carefully grew, selected, and improved the Winter Jewels line of seed-grown hybrid hellebores for more than 30 years.
One upcoming goal for Little Prince to tackle is the pulling system for plants and how the greenhouses are numbered.
The key to implementing a positive company culture is cross-training. Each team member is trained for multiple responsibilities, such as growing and irrigation.
Production Manager Mike Hicks notes that automation often works better for long runs of the same variety, and Little Prince has many varieties in small quantities. The operation trials different types of automation and makes changes when appropriate.
Mark Leichty, Director of Operations at Little Prince, says he’s proud of the company’s diversity of product offerings.
Little Prince acquired the Winter Jewels hellebore series in 2023 and already has plans to enlarge the program.
Little Prince plans to enlarge its hellebore program through careful selection and evaluation, providing even more improved varieties for hellebore enthusiasts.
A new 14,400-square-foot production building is underway at Little Prince. It is expected to be operational in January 2025.
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Check out the slideshow on this page for a closer look at how the company is innovative with its plants and its team.
Carmen Wilkins is a writer and editor specializing in lifestyle, books, sports, education, and tech. She's a former professional soccer player who now spends her time playing on the weekends with her kids and husband.
