Feb. 25, 2021

A greenhouse built from the garage of a foreclosed house in Humboldt is now the home of a bustling nursery.

The Deku Tree specializes in succulents, cacti, bonsai and rare exotic plants.

Owner Joshua Cooper fell in love with plants as a young kid watching his grandmother plant tomatoes, pomegranates and sunflowers. As an adult and an aspiring actor, Cooper spent several years in Los Angeles, where his plant collection grew.

When he got out of the acting scene and came back to his hometown of Humboldt, the plants came too.

“I kind of realized somewhere along the way that plants bring me a lot of joy, a lot of happiness,” said Cooper, 35.

He opened The Deku Tree in February 2020. A month later, the pandemic hit, and as people spent more time at home, interest in houseplants went up.

“A lot of people have been getting into houseplants, and I just feel really lucky about that,” Cooper said.

Cooper also offers his personal mix of soil, ideal for succulents and cacti. The trick to keeping those plants alive, he said, is to put them in a south-facing window and not overwater them.

“If you’ve got good light and you’ve got good soil, and then the biggest thing is just letting the soil dry out between waterings,” he said.

While The Deku Tree offers rare plants not found elsewhere in the area, Cooper also has plants available for those who weren’t born with a green thumb.

“There’s something for everybody out here,” he said.

The Deku Tree is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and by appointment. Find more details on Facebook.