Last week Michael and I were visiting family in Oklahoma City. We were so impressed with the beautiful plants that we purchased last season from Bustani Farms that we decided that we wanted to pay them a visit. Stillwater, Oklahoma, where they are located, is only about an hour north of Oklahoma City, so we set out on a slightly rainy, humid day (Oklahoma has had an unusually rainy and cool spring this year.) By accident, Ruth Owens called us the morning we were leaving Madison to check and see when we wanted this season's order shipped, so we were able to tell them that we would be visiting them in a few days.

After missing the exit once (it is not very well marked), Bustani Plant Farm was about 1/2 mile off the highway. We drove up to a modest, but nice home with a beautiful outdoor garden and a large, brand-new greenhouse behind it (Steve later informed us that they were operating out of tents last season) near heavily wooded areas. He was able to immediately show us our order (which was still being shipped to us the following week because we flew to Oklahoma from Wisconsin.)

Steve is a young, very pleasant guy and he has a wealth of knowledge about plants in general (he has a degree in horticulture from OSU and is the host of a popular Oklahoma television program about gardening), but specifically about plants native to the Oklahoma region. He told us that they find plants for their nursery from all over the world----they have a particular interest in plants from Africa and that they travel there every summer and were planning to do so again this summer and they grow all of their plants on-site (which is somewhat unusual in this day in age). In fact, the we learned that the name "Bustani" is an African word for garden. We also met his wife Ruth who is also a young, very pleasant woman who is an accountant by trade and runs the business side of the nursery.

Steve then took us outside to look at their garden. The garden in front is dedicated to Oklahoma native plants and Penstemons murrayanus and oklahomensis were in full bloom. About a minute later an adult male Ruby-throat came to visit the Penstemons and then flew up to his favorite perch on the top of a nearby tree. It was stunning to see the Cup-leaved Penstemon in bloom as we are trying that plant this year for the first time and also to see a hummingbird visit it on first sight!

We then looked at a different garden where Lonicera sempervirens was also in full bloom as well as John Clayton Honeysuckle and another hummingbird visited the honeysuckles (talk about immediate satisfaction!) Steve said that his father has recently discovered another variety of honeysuckle that is native to Oklahoma that will be offered on their website in the future. Cannas were also just starting to come up in this bed. There was also a beautiful native Wisteria just coming into bloom (which is different from the typical exotic Wisterias sold by most nurseries.) Steve said they are on the border of zone 6 and 7 and we were green with envy thinking about all the great hummingbird plants that would be hardy in this area.

Then we went back into the greenhouse (workers were installing a shade over the roof to create more shade in the greenhouse as it was already really heating up only in the mid-morning.) Other customers from the local area were starting to arrive, which was nice to see. The greenhouse was filled with all the plants offered on their website and printed catalog (which was new for them this year) and everything was in full bloom. As we have shopped for plants online so much, it was certainly great to actually view the plants in person.

We browsed there for a while and decided to take back a Stachytarpheta 'Red Compacta' as it was in full bloom and fairly small. We also saw the blooms of their new offering this year, Hamelia cuprea, up close and personal---the blooms are an interesting cross between Cuphea and Hamelia patens---we will see if we can get it to bloom in Wisconsin! They had some very impressive Salvia greggii's in full bloom (this is an important plant for hummingbird gardeners in this area as it can take the intense heat, dryness and sun of Oklahoma so well), but they were unfortunately much too large to take back on the plane. We also purchased Steve's book "Best Garden Plants for Oklahoma", which contained so much useful information about plants that would also work in Wisconsin---Steve very generously and nicely autographed the book for us.

Overall, we came away very impressed with this nursery. The selection of highly unusual plants and the efficiency of management and quality of what these nice folks offer is to be commended. It was a three hour experience that was more than worthwhile.

Yesterday we received our order from them. Like last season, the plants were beautifully packed and the plants were huge and in full bloom. If you haven't ordered from Bustani Farms yet, we highly recommend that you give them a try and if you are ever in Stillwater, Oklahoma, they would love to meet you! They expressed so much gratitude for all of the business and support from the folks on The Hummingbird Forum.




Kathi and Michael Rock
Madison, Wisconsin
Zone 4/5

Kathi,
That was a fantastic report. I was hanging on to every word. Last year JP and His wife also visited Steve and Ruth at Bustani and he too came away with the same feelings that you had. You mentioned purchasing the Stachytarpheta 'Red Compacta'. Did you by chance see the Deep Blue form in bloom? That is the one that I ordered this year and it just got its first little bloom and it is gorgeous!.

You also mentioned the flower on the Hamelia cuprea being a cross between a Cuphea and hamelia patens. Were the blooms not fully opened? My hamelia cuprea blooms are more like the flowers on a crossvine or trumpet vine. In fact to me it looks almost identical to a crossvine but just a tade smaller.

I see on their website that many plants are already sold out now for the season. I would love to be able to take a trip out there to meet Steve and Ruth and see the nursery first hand. I am so very glad that another one of our members was able to actually visit the nursery in person (I am green with envy! They have so many wonderfully different plants from other nurseries and it is a plus that they grow them right there so they can tell you more about the plant instead of shrugging their shoulders or looking the plant up in a book or googling it online because they just order the plants from a wholesaler and have them shimpped in .

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Nice report! I am really glad that you had the oppportunity to visit them and see the operation. The chance to see hummingbirds visiting some of those plants is always a good sign for what you can expect in your garden.

Great review!!!
Now I am home with a few 'finds' of my own! I purchased a couple of Stachytarpheta 'Red Compacta' plants and before leaving Florida gently cleaned the soil from the roots and had to cut the branches and stalks to bring them back on the plane. Hopefully, they will survive!
We also stopped by Steve Backes place hoping to see at least one hummer, but they had gone. Steve proudly showed his other birds and the hummer preferred plants and sent us on our way with some seeds. Thanks again Steve!