Bailey Nurseries of Cottage Grove, one of the 20 largest tree and shrub nurseries in the country, will acquire Carlton Plants of Dayton, Ore., the companies said Monday.
With the acquisition, Bailey will move into the top five U.S. nurseries for tree and shrub production.
"This makes us a leader among bare root growers," said Terri McEnaney, president of Bailey Nurseries. "We're servicing the landscape businesses to provide them the baby plants that take one to six years to produce."
The company farms about 2,500 acres in Minnesota and will add about 3,000 acres on the West Coast when the deal is completed on Oct. 31.
The deal brings together two separate businesses with family ties.
Bailey's second-generation owner Gordon Bailey purchased Carlton Plants in 1984 when he was in his 70s. In 1997, his grandson Jon Bartch, McEnaney's cousin, purchased the company started in the late 1800s.
"He carried the legacy on for bare root material — the same as we started with trees and shrubs, but at a certain point, his kids weren't interested, so he approached us," McEnaney said.
"Our cultures are alike. We're family-oriented. The ultimate goal was finding a connection that could carry forward what he and his team have developed."
