Invest in Us!

We want to build stronger community, create more jobs, and GROW, so we're raising funds through small business bonds on @thesmbx marketplace. They start as low as $10 and investors will receive monthly payments at 11.5% interest over a 5 year period.

Invest

Learn More

Paraíso Plant Studio is a people-centered house plant nursery and Berkeley’s largest house plant destination. With a focus on community they strive to inspire hope and joy through our intentionally inclusive and education-based plant space.

Our Story

When I started my business in 2018, I had been struggling with postpartum depression for 2 years. Gardening and plants had been key to my recovery, and I wanted to share this powerful tool with others. I began by selling plants and what I called “plant chandeliers,” one-of-a-kind hanging plant holders and terrariums from antique chandeliers and lighting fixtures, at local markets and festivals. I started with a $300 investment and within one year I was able to open our first brick and mortar store. By 2021, we had generated $1M in revenue, and secured our first long-term lease in one of the most highly sought-after shopping destinations in the Bay Area, in Berkeley’s Fourth Street shopping district. Since then, through Covid and drastic changes in socio-economic conditions, we have created stability for our business and our team.

Today, we are a highly regarded houseplant nursery. Both my background in Interior Design and Community Organizing shape our business model. We are values-forward, community builders, and culture creators who embrace change. Through our passion for house plants, we create community by forming deep and earnest relationships with our customers. We focus on meeting customers where they are in their plant journey and providing accessible plant care education so that they are successful at caring for their plants. Resulting in an incredible returning customer rate and help people who think they are plant killers become plant people.

Read less

Our Business Plan

We have obtained a lease 2 doors down from us that is almost 3x the size of our current space. This will increase our street visibility, inventory and customer capacity, and allow us to combine our floral business with our growing workshop and plant jobs. Estimating scaling our business by double our revenue and diversifying into other areas for additional growth opportunities. It will also help us create more fail-safes and pivot plans to maintain stability in the event of an economic downturn.

Use of Funds

We will use the funds raised for working capital for a new location expansion, labor, and inventory.

$235,000 (94.0%) - Working capital- expansion to new location, labor, and inventory
$15,000 (6.0%) - SMBX Funding Success Fee

Invest

Ficus Care

Ficus are beautiful houseplants that can be grown as bushes or trees. They can add beautiful plant presence to a space. They are generally not tolerant of lower or moderate light and require very bright filtered light (usually West or South-facing exposure) to grow well and retain their leaves over time. Larger tree-forms can also benefit from being treated regularly to prevent pests.

Easier varieties include: Altissima, Audrey, Benjamina, Elastica, Ginseng (see separate page for Fiddle Leaf Fig care

Difficult varieties include: Alii, Amstel King, Variegated Ficus plants.

Light:

Very bright, indirect light
Does not tolerate medium or low light conditions well
Brown spotting on leaves can be caused by overwatering or burn caused by direct sun or leaf trauma. Some spotting is also normal.

Water:

Likes to dry out 50% between waterings
Water roughly every 10-14 days
Leaf dropping is a sign of too much water and not enough light

Humidity:

Average household humidity is fine

Soil Type:

Requires fast draining but rich soil
2 parts nutrient rich potting soil (or soil with slow release fertilizer pellets), 1 part perlite
A dusting of worm castings on the topsoil is also good for fertilizing

Toxicity Level:

Toxic to animals

Additional Information:

Ficus plants do not tolerate change well, on occasion they can experience periods of leaf loss when adapting to change or when they experience a change in watering habits. Leaves can grow back overtime, but trees that struggle in this way should be placed in the brightest filtered light possible indoors.
Glossy leaves can collect dust, so a gentle dusting with a microfiber cloth or duster is beneficial
Ficus roots are delicate! If repotting, do not tease root mass
Keep away from cold drafts

Popular Varieties: Elastica Ruby, Tineke, Burgundy, Alii, shop all Ficus

Shop the story