Tropical Hibiscus | Reliable color, right out of the box

Convenience has long been a substantial factor in retail purchasing decisions, with shoppers tending to choose products that provide the most benefit for the least effort.

In Columbia, Mo., customers of Westlake Ace Hardware have responded favorably to the hibiscus lineup from J. Berry Nursery. With its unique, multi-day lasting blooms, eye-catching color schemes and resistance to leaf spot, the Hollywood Hibiscus in particular has been a strong seller at the Ace franchise.

Rex Neil, manager of Westlake Ace Hardware, says he was referred to J. Berry Nursery by the sales representatives with National Nursery Products. Though Westlake Ace Hardware has carried various hibiscus varieties from J. Berry over the past few years, Hollywood has made a positive impact since it was added to Ace’s inventory earlier this year.

Customers like Hollywood’s heavy bud count, colors and ease of use, Neil says.

“You have some great color schemes, they’re very vibrant,” he says. “There’s a lot of patio and container gardening and we have a pretty good retirement base here in Columbia, and they like to be able to just take that pot, take it home and put it on the patio in a decorative container and it gives them that instant color. It’s low maintenance, and you have high gratification pretty quickly, and it has lots of blooms that are unique.”

When it comes to hibiscus varieties, timing is key. Neil says J. Berry ships the plants in good condition with blooms already formed. This way, Neil and his staff can stock Hollywood right away without waiting for buds to open, providing out-of-the-box shelf appeal and simplicity for the customer.

“The [plant] comes in well packed and it’s shelf-ready, you’re not waiting for it to leaf out or bud out and bloom. It’s ready to go,” Neil says. “[J. Berry is] pretty quick to react — if you need more of something, they’ll do what they can to get it to you [quickly].”

The Hollywood Hibiscus by J. Berry Nursery gives Neil a fast sales turnaround and reliable quality, which brings him loyal returning customers, and helps attract new people looking for exceptional plant quality with no headaches.

“The quicker you can get it to the customer and they can get it planted in their garden, the better the plant’s going to do,” Neil says. “There’s not a quality problem with their product, so you don’t have any loss due to inferior product.”