Welcome to a pleasant chat with Jan and Jack Westenborg, owners of Green Things on River Road.
Thank you both for taking the time to share some of the huge changes underway at Green Things (a Catalina Foothills favorite!). What are the biggest recent projects?
Tearing down the Zocalo Village buildings and constructing the new central building, plus adding extensive cactus inventory and growing operations, were 2025’s major expansions. The new Zocalo building consolidates all merchandise in a single centrally located space, eliminating building-to-building searches. The front area showcases outdoor items, including pottery, talavera, benches, tables, metal art, firepits, and fountains, plus sculptures from our Tucson Sculpture Society partnership. To meet this demand for cactus, we focus on landscape varieties—cacti, yuccas, and agaves— that are hardy in Tucson’s environment and available in small, medium, and large specimens. With Arizona’s water constraints, cactus popularity is growing, and we’re actively meeting that customer demand. (They recently acquired a large cactus and succulent grower in southern California).
What’s new in your propagation area, and what advantages do locally cultivated plants offer?
As we meet the growing demand for local plants, our propagation area has become a vital part of the operation. Our 5-acre growing grounds near River Road produce hardy shrubs and trees in 5-to 65-gallon sizes, focusing on high-demand varieties such as thornless mesquite, Desert Museum palo verde, desert willow, and red bird of paradise. Additionally, 100,000 square feet of controlled greenhouses allow us to propagate smaller shrubs, annuals, geraniums, and perennials, including 20-25,000 poinsettias annually. Growing from seeds, cuttings, or plugs allows plants to acclimate immediately to our environment, improving survival rates over imported plants. Ultimately, 60–70% of our plants are grown on-property, and we prioritize local suppliers for the rest.
How should new Foothills homeowners begin planning their landscape?
This specialized knowledge is directly applied when advising new Foothills homeowners on how to begin planning their landscape. Our “Info Kiosk” staff in East Retail specializes in this guidance, recommending that customers bring photos and measurements for yard-specific recommendations. Replicating lush Midwest landscapes requires significant work and watering, often resulting in expected failures while learning our extreme seasons. We help customers understand how plants respond to watering, fertilizing, pests, and wildlife, pointing out, for example, which plants are Javelina-proof to help you avoid frustration.
Any recent plant trends?
Recent plant trends show that landscape fashion moves more slowly than in clothing. Succulents became trendy years ago, but have been surpassed by cacti. Drought conditions and Colorado River issues have spotlighted cactus worldwide. Landscape designs have evolved beyond basic cactus plantings, and they’re excellent for containers, which is why we have a dedicated section at our Info Kiosk. Furthermore, drought-tolerant plants like thornless mesquite and Desert Museum Palo Verde outperform other trees, and the popularity of native species has also risen.
What about indoor plants?
While focused on desert landscape planning, the nursery also honors its legacy by specializing in indoor plants. Our 16,000-square-foot greenhouse is dedicated to tropical houseplants. Popular varieties include Ficus, Pothos, Philodendrons, Sanseveria, Kimberly Queen Ferns, and succulents. It's important to note that, unlike cacti, succulents need covered porches or bright indoor light. Common houseplant pests include mealybugs, whiteflies, and spider mites, and our staff is always on hand to provide solutions.
And what about homeowners who want an outdoor living space?
The expertise with both indoor and outdoor varieties ties into a clear trend we are definitely seeing: an interest in blending indoor and outdoor spaces. Covered outdoor areas work well with good light. Plants viable to 20-25 degrees—crown of thorns, ficus, asparagus ferns, purple heart, and star jasmine—are ideal for this transition. This environment perfectly combines pots and plants, and to facilitate this, we carry pottery in all sizes, colors, and styles—from sleek contemporary to traditional and funky Talavera designs. We also offer metal furniture, southwest-style wall art, statuary, Talavera decor, and popular Onyx fountains in various heights, which are perfect for desert decor.
What classes do you offer?
To share this depth of expertise with the community, we offer two weekly class types: craft-oriented and technical. Technical classes cover gardening skills such as watering, irrigation, tree trimming, and pesticide use, drawing on our staff’s collective 30 years of nursery experience. Craft classes focus on seasonal themes—Valentine’s arrangements, succulent bowls, broken pot designs, macrame hangers, and terrariums. Succulent bowls are historically most popular, allowing participants to choose pots and fill them with selected succulents.
Your staff is legendary when it comes to supporting homeowners. How long does employee training take?
This commitment to education extends internally through our employee training program. Our 12-week program includes three weekly tracks: sales, operations, and plant knowledge or area-specific training. Employees who actively engage can become fluent faster—exceptional individuals in 90 days by studying our plant information signs. Plants are complex, with widespread myths and conflicting online information, so we’ve developed Tucson-specific gardening truths through years of experience, ensuring our staff has a high level of expertise.
Tell us about your furniture and decor expansion?
Our commitment to decor extends to our furniture and decor expansion within the Zocalo. This area specializes in Mexican furniture, lighting, mirrors, folk art, and paintings—styles that complement Tucson culture. We work with artisans throughout Central and Southern Mexico, particularly in San Miguel de Allende and Tlaquepaque. Our mesquite furniture is available in traditional and contemporary styles, with five stain options ranging from natural to dark. We also offer custom furniture based on customer photos and measurements, with items arriving on three annual trucks from our Mexican warehouses. We visit Mexico City, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Patzcuaro, Oaxaca, and Puebla to source the best pieces. In recent years, tin has also become a popular material for home decor, and we carry lighted and non-lighted mirrors, sconces, chandeliers, and various finishes.
What stands out about your River Road location?
All of these plants and projects take place at our unique River Road location. We’re situated in the Binghampton Historic Area with fascinating Native American and Mormon history. This agricultural area still has remnants of Mormon irrigation systems on our property, and we are proud to continue the plant-focused tradition and maintain the natural environment. With entrances from River Path, River Road, and Allen/Edith roads, visitors on the Rillito path can easily stop by bike, horse, or on foot.
Jan and Jack, thank you for your time and insights!