Plant Lush

Plant Lush was the first plant shop in downtown San Jose, owned by Mercedes, a passionate plant propagator. She got her love of plants from her grandmother, who grew California natives in her home state of Arizona. 

“I would come back to school, and I was just so amazed to tell my teachers and my friends that my grandmother has native California plants growing in her garden in Arizona, in the desert.”

Mercedes gets so excited about plants that she’ll purchase them first, and ask questions later. 

“When my plant collection started growing, that's when I began to purchase plants without knowing their names. It was more, I know this plant, this leaf, this look I do not have, but I wanted.” 

Plant Lush has become a hub for all the plant parents in the area. Mercedes is proud of the fact that people love the store enough to plant seeds of romance there, she says as she’s hosted quite a few first dates.

“It's so neat to see what just flourishes with them just walking around the store and talking about plants.”

A film by Bettina Hanna.