Karli Heineman: Plant Vault

In February, our producers Laura and Kendahl had the opportunity to attend the Tropical Plant International Expo and had a chance to meet so many amazing folks that love plants just as much as we do! 

One of the wonderful people we got to meet was Karli Heineman, owner of Plant Vault. Karli specializes in rare plants, the kind that you won’t find at your average retailer. She caters to the hardcore plant collector, so she's always on the lookout for the newest trend.

“But for a plant lover, it's the same as buying a designer handbag or designer shoes for me. Only this gives me much greater happiness, and it's not a question of, ‘Oh, I wore it yesterday.’ It's ‘I can look at it and it brings me joy every single day.’”

Karli’s background is not in horticulture at all, but rather in fashion and marketing. She still feels right at home, though, because she uses those skills to help folks find the perfect new plant for their growing collections. 

“Finding something beautiful, finding something that stands out, and all the plants that we have here are handpicked by me.” 

Before she got into marketing, Karli worked in women’s prisons helping them find work. As a result of this, she takes giving opportunities to women very seriously, so she decided to involve her two daughters in the business. 

“They are my pride and joy and one of the reasons that I wanted to start Plant Vault and a female owned business.”

A film by Bettina Hanna.