Florida's growers are recovering after unprecedented snow

Wholesale nurseries across the southern U.S. have been dealing with the aftermath of unprecedented levels of snow, sleet and freezing rain from January's winter storm. Growers in north Florida and south Georgia are facing millions of dollars in loss and structural damage.

Picking up after the storm

May Nursery, in Havana, Florida, lost all of its shade houses and several propagation greenhouses. The nursery also has hundreds of broken irrigation pipe risers.

Richard May, company president and third-generation nurseryman, says the reason this storm caused so much damage was the extraordinary weight of wet sleet on top of snow.

“We had 4 to 5 inches of soft, fluffy snow, and then just before the storm moved on, it turned into sleet/freezing rain,” he says. “At that point the snow acted like a sponge and just soaked up all of that heavy rain…and then froze. It was too much weight for our shades to handle.”

The shade houses were covering azaleas, hydrangeas, nandinas, aucuba, spirea, syringa, hosta, carex grasses, ferns, fothergilla and other items. When they collapsed, they broke many of the irrigation pipes needed to water May Nursery’s 225 acres of production.

May’s first priority is to clear the shade cloth away so the nursery can repair irrigation pipes and begin watering again. As of late March, May says it will cost about $500,000 to rebuild everything. He hopes to be finished with repairs by June 1 and estimates they lost less than 5% of plant material.

“This snow event did mostly structural damage, and I do not think it is going to affect the availability of plant material for spring 2025,” May says.

Alex Kantor, owner of Lloyd Nursery, says he found under 10 percent plants loss, but 100% structural loss of all shade structures.

Located in the panhandle of Florida, Southern Tree Source nursery was hit again by another unexpected storm.

“Between getting hit by two hurricanes and now this storm, it’s been a rough year in the nursery business,” says Buster Corley, owner of Southern Tree Source.

The shade house structure that housed 2,500 Japanese maple trees totally collapsed at the nursery, and Corley is working on salvaging what’s left. “All in all, we feel fairly lucky that some of the plant material seems to have survived, but the structure is a total loss,” Corley says.

The financial impacts

Effects of Florida snow on greenhouses, nurseries. Florida nurseries and greenhouses continue to ascertain how much of their products can be sold.

May has spoken to the Florida agriculture commissioner and several legislators. He has been assisted by Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) and Florida Farm Bureau and is hoping the state of Florida will allocate funds for disaster relief.

Tal Coley, CEO of FNGLA, provided a statement on the devastation of the winter storm and its impact on the horticulture supply chain.

“While nurseries are still assessing the full extent of the losses, it is clear that the storm will have a significant and lasting impact on plant production, with some farms facing months, or even years, of recovery,” Coley says. “As many plants are irreparably damaged by the extreme cold, the supply of certain varieties will be limited for the foreseeable future, causing potential disruptions in the supply chain.

“In response, Florida Department of Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson has launched a loan program to assist affected nurseries and landscape businesses. FNGLA extends its deep appreciation to Commissioner Simpson for his swift and decisive action, marking an important first step in providing relief and supporting the industry’s recovery.”

According to FNGLA, preliminary assessments from the industry indicate that many nurseries are facing similar challenges, particularly with damage to irrigation systems and shade structures. In many cases, irrigation infrastructure has been significantly damaged, with sprinkler heads and pipes broken or uprooted.

“This has caused immediate concerns about the ability to properly water plants, which is crucial during the recovery process. Additionally, shade structures have been severely impacted, causing plant stress and complicating recovery efforts. This has created additional logistical challenges, as many nurseries are now faced with the task of carefully lifting shade structures to free the plants underneath while ensuring they don’t sustain further damage," Coley says.

Loans for damage recovery

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson has launched an interest-free loan program through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to assist affected nurseries, growers and landscape businesses. “Delivering immediate support to agricultural producers impacted by the recent winter storm, like our nursery growers in North Florida who were hit especially hard, is a critical first step to get them back on their feet,” Simpson wrote in a statement.

“The Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program provides a start with immediate financial relief, ensuring that Florida's farmers and ranchers begin to rebuild their buildings and infrastructure.”

The winter storm, which brought successive hard freezes and the heaviest snowfall in the state’s history, primarily impacted growers and producers in north Florida. Impacted producers are encouraged to take photos of any property damage sustained from the winter storm and to save all receipts for recovery efforts and supplies.

Specific details on the application process are available on the program’s webpage.

Growers that were previously awarded funds for damages sustained from recent hurricanes may be eligible to apply for damage sustained from this disaster.

An applicant may not receive more than one loan per storm, more than two loans per year or more than five loans in any three years.

The natural disaster recovery loan program could be very beneficial to nursery and greenhouse growers because many outdoor growing structures are considered “temporary structures” and therefore not covered by insurance.

May says he believes his damage may not be covered by insurance for that exact reason: his damaged shades are considered temporary structures. He's working with his insurance company to determine his options.

“We typically expect to get 30 years from our shades. Two of our big shades were 10 years old, and two of them were five years old,” May says. “They are made to withstand hurricane winds but not 6 inches of snow, ice and freezing rain.”

The winter storm and its impact was at its worst in the Florida panhandle, but it was not contained to the Sunshine State. Most of the Deep South received heavy snowfall.

Flowerwood Nursery is headquartered in Loxley, Alabama, but its Cairo, Georgia, location is only 15 miles from the Florida state line. It was also damaged in the storms.

Director of Operations Chris Brown Sr. says the nursery experienced some damage to its shade houses, as the Florida nurseries did.

“One of them completely collapsed, while another was partially damaged,” he says.

“The collapsed shade house has been cleaned up, and fortunately, many of our plants are salvageable for spring sales. Overall, considering the extent of the snow event, we came through with minimal damage compared to others in the area.”

Monrovia also has a nursery in Cairo, Georgia. Ted McDonald, vice president of sales with Monrovia, says that while the level of snow was unprecedented, the team was able to minimize damage by prepping the nursery before the snow arrived.

“While the snow caused cause some minor damage to some shade structure, no plants suffered,” he says. "Thanks to the efforts of several craftsmen who stayed overnight to keep the houses clear, none of the greenhouses had any damage."

The Gulf States Horticultural Expo in Mobile, Alabama, originally scheduled for Jan. 22-24, was canceled. The next expo will be Jan. 14-16, 2026.

The damage and losses are likely to disrupt the spring shipments of ornamental plants. Many nurseries are experiencing delayed operations due to damage to infrastructure and plants.

As a result, wholesalers may face challenges meeting demand. Landscape contractors, who rely on specific plants for projects, may also encounter delays or experience difficulty sourcing certain varieties.

“While nurseries are working hard to recover, the impacts on supply chains are likely to be felt across the industry,” Coley says. “The industry can support Florida growers by showing understanding and flexibility during the recovery period. Many nurseries are doing their best to bounce back quickly, but some plants may be less than perfect due to the storm’s impact.

“Continued business and patience from customers — whether wholesalers, retailers or landscapers — will be crucial as growers work through these challenges,” Colet adds. “Additionally, sharing resources, knowledge and labor where possible, as well as advocating for the needs of Florida growers at the local and state levels, will help accelerate recovery efforts.” 

The authors are associate editor, editorial director and editor of Nursery Management magazine respectively.