Glen Saint Mary Nurseries was founded by George Taber Sr. in 1882. The business began as a cattle and potato farm, but soon its focus shifted to peaches and other fruits and plants. The nursery incorporated in 1907 as the Glen Saint Mary Nurseries Company and continued to expand, eventually covering over a thousand acres between its several Florida locations.
After the devastating freezes of 1894-95, Mr. Taber began experimenting with freeze-resistant citruses such as kumquats, satsumas, and other hardy orange varieties. Within two decades, the nursery had become one of the leading citrus producers in the country. It has since become a wholesale nursery, with products including hollies, azaleas, roses, and Cephalotaxus.
The nursery is most renowned for the George Taber Azalea, a pink and white flowering bush which was introduced in 1929. Taber azaleas can be found in nurseries and gardens across the country, as well as the in National Arboretum’s azalea garden and on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol.
Now in its fourth generation, the company carries a great deal of pride in its history and heritage. This website documents the nursery’s founding and growth as well as its contributions to the citrus industry and horticulture in the United States.
