Our roots run deep in Austin, Texas
Succulent Native founder, Shannon Donaldson, was born and raised in Austin, surrounded by makers and a funky art scene. Like most entrepreneurs, succulents, plants, and cacti weren’t the first focus of her business adventure...
It all started when Shannon followed her art dreams to college where she majored in sculpture and fine art. She struggled to a find a medium she truly connected with, and found a job as a florist to flex her creative eye for design and beautifying plants. Shannon would sell the flowers from her makeshift ice cream bike on South Congress, where passerbyers would shop, but the Texas heat was not kind to the delicate flowers she was selling, and keeping the flowers fresh became an issue. She needed to sell something more native to the climate — something more Austin...cacti and succulents! And poof, Succulent Native was born!
She got her hands dirty right away planting beautiful, sculpture-like arrangements, which she sold from her bike on the weekend. She continued to challenge her abilities, and grew alongside her business, “Plant more. Worry less.” became a personal mantra that carried her through the early days of entrepreneurship and is now the mantra of the business. Plants bring a space to life, and can add so much more than green to someone’s life and living space.
As the popularity of the arrangements and unique shopping experience grew, so did Succulent Native. From the bike, she moved into a little shop on east 5th street which she quickly outgrew and opened her current shop on North Lamar, and then expanded to South Lamar.
From her humble beginning of succulent street-peddler to full-service plant shop, Shannon not only offers unique and beautiful succulent arrangements and gifts, but workshops and planting parties, a plant club subscription box, house call services, and a program called “Austin Native & Creative” to support local artists and businesses.
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Plants are for everyone, and our local plant community welcomes you to come as you are, to get rooted and grow with us.
5501 N. Lamar Blvd. #101A
Tues. - Sat. 10-6PM | Sun. 11-5PM
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Free Parking Available
In the news
Good Day Austin with Tierra Neubaum, FOX 7 Austin
Glass Staircase Featured Founder: It All Started on an Ice Cream Bike
Studio 512, Planting Party with Succulent Native
How to Use Plant Design to Enliven Your Space with Succulent Native
Happy Customer Reviews
I worked downtown Austin for a few years doing design work and my lunch break was my “get away” time to explore the city and wander around for an hour. I ran into Shannon one day while wandering and I instantly fell in love with her variety of succulents that I bought 2. Then came back and bought another the following day, then I brought my coworkers and it became a tradition to find the “Succulent Lady” and buy more succulents to fill up our work desks. For me, caring for plants it worse than caring for a herd of wild meerkats, at least I can keep a meerkat alive…unlike a plant. She taught me how much to water each type of succulent and if for some reason my plant was ruined, she replaced it. I can’t say enough good things about Succulent Native and her products other than…. I WANT MORE!
- Renee, Wander Y'all
I had a great experience at Succulent Native.
You can go here to buy a pre-made succulent arrangement, or you can make your own little arrangement by choosing a container and plant(s).
My favorite thing about coming here was that I came to pick up a pre-ordered gift, and I left with a full heart because the woman who owns this shop loves what she does! We talked about all her plants and her story for about an hour. She wants everyone to be able to purchase something so she makes her arrangements and containers affordable. And she makes gorgeous stuff!
- Katie L.
