Orban’s Nursery to kick off 27th annual Poinsettia Open House despite storm damage

For Orban’s Nursery, this year’s 27th annual Poinsettia Open House is going to be a little different.

Hurricane season 2017 wasn’t kind to the almost 100-year-old nursery. A tornado that formed from Tropical Storm Emily ripped through the nursery in late July. Then, in September, Hurricane Irma showed up.

Between the two storms, a lot of structural damage befell the fourth-generation family business, located at 9601 Ninth Ave. NW.

But, thankfully, most of the crops made it through.

“Crop-wise we came out amazing, considering,” owner Marty Orban said. “It’s just the damage that will probably take us years to rebuild.”

Roof coverings on about 30 of the houses that the plants grow in were ripped off, and at least eight houses were completely flattened.

Between rebuilding and tending to the crops, Orban’s is spread thin.

“We only have around 10 laborers and we really need about 30,” Orban said. “Finding good help has been tough.”

The Orban family usually donates a portion of the sales from the event to charity, but this year, they are the charity, Orban said.

“We’ve had damage before from storms, but we’ve never had a double whammy like this,” Orban said. “One storm is bad enough...but two?”

But the show must go on.

Regardless of its hardships, Orban’s is still putting on the popular event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday – and customers will have plenty to choose from.

Over 10 acres of at least 200,000 poinsettia plants are ready and lined up in vibrant, colorful rows. The poinsettias, Orban said, come in pots of various sizes that range from 4 to 14 inches and cost anywhere from $3 to $50.

Vendors at the open house include Ellenton’s family-run Hickory Hollow BBQ restaurant and Geraldson's Family Farm, which will be selling vegetables throughout the day.

Hurricane Irma tore the roof off the nursery’s barn that normally holds the open house, so Orban had to spring for a large tent that will be set up in the same spot. The barn had been standing for at least 30 years.

Although the family has been growing poinsettias since the 1940s, Orban said every crop is different.

“In my 40 years of doing poinsettias, every year is different,” he said, chuckling. “This year has been decent, and I always say if I like the weather, then the plants probably do, too.”

This story was originally published November 22, 2017 at 8:46 AM with the headline "Orban’s Nursery to kick off 27th annual Poinsettia Open House despite storm damage."