Burchell is his name and also his life’s work. While he grew up learning everything about Burchell Nursery, he’s now led it for a dozen years, taking it to new heights:

• More than 1,200 acres

• More than 150,000 square feet of greenhouse space

• More than 3 million trees sold per year

• The only independent tree nursery with an in-house breeding program

• More new variety introductions than any other California tree nursery
  

Tom may have inherited his traits of humility, positivity and perseverance, but he’s honed his skills through study and hard work. Holder of an Ornamental Horticulture degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Tom initiated the product development division at Burchell Nursery. Now, it collaborates with nurseries in Chile, Australia, South Africa and Europe.

While proud of the nursery’s past, Tom focused on the future and how the nut breeding program can help farmers be ready for whatever it holds. He leads the Burchell team in developing a diversified pipeline of nut trees that will thrive in the face of ever-increasing environmental and regulatory challenges.

Through exclusive licensing agreements, our customers can have access to varieties and rootstocks to fit their needs. This requires innovative thinking and daily diligence, as bringing new varieties to market is roughly a ten-year commitment. Tom has the vision to focus on long-term goals. (No surprise, he’s completed marathons, including running the Boston Marathon.) You can count on Burchell Nursery to support you today and in the years to come.

It’s that kind of dedication that would make the past leaders of Burchell proud. Tom’s grandfather, Irvin, founded the nursery in 1942, and his father, Bill, ran the business from 1970 to 2004. No doubt they’d both commend Tom’s work to build the nursery and the industry by serving on advisory boards and mentoring our youth through the classroom, FFA and 4-H programs.

Tom enjoys teaching others about plant genetics and our growing business.  Feel free to stop by for a tour of Burchell Nursery. You’ll see our family’s legacy of honesty, integrity and service first-hand. You can look to us for the healthiest, most vigorous bare root and container trees your money can buy.

We’re also honored to come to you. Our field service team is the best in the industry.