Comments regarding MrMaple (Nichol's Nursery)

I ordered a maple and an oconee azalea in winter. I asked if they could hold off shipping until April, they agreed. When my order arrived, I was disappointed to see they’d sent me the wrong plants. I’d recently had a couple bad experiences with nurseries with gimmicky names and I was pretty nervous. But Mr. Maple was responsive and immediately sent me my correct order. They did not ask for the wrong trees back although they were careful to have me check the packaging so they could be certain who’s order they had sent me, as they wanted to take care of that customer as well. All four trees I received were in excellent condition. Highly recommend.

Mrmaple.com is & always will be my first stop for any tree/shrub/plant. I know it’s ‘mrmaple’ but my first purchase from them was a very cool & rare Cornus kousa ‘Celestial Shadow’ tree was absolutely gorgeous, healthy & I was very excited about its large size. After that dogwood I have purchased from them maybe 15 more times or so because their prices cannot be beat.. from sweet shrubs to rare hydrangeas to clethras. Your choices are never ending. Excellent, excellent family & 2 brother owned nursery so you already know their values & history is impeccable & it sure does show from their next day response to even receiving call back phones call within the hour! I could go on & on regarding how amazing mrmaple & mrmaple.com is & their great team. Oh & one more thing if you happen to stumble on something you absolutely love definitely sign up for email notifications it’ll be back in no time. Mrmaple also does weekly quick 10@10 videos (YouTube) on Tuesdays & Thursdays where they display 10 news maples/plants & on website you’ll find twice that many new & exciting cultivars!! I sure am lucky to have found these guys. Check out YouTube channel MrMapleShow. Irma New Albany

This is the email that I sent this grower today at 12:14 p.m. EST
(6-23-23)

I received my 2 Venus dogwood and I am EXTREMELY PLEASED. Considering that they are difficult to find (even online) the price was beyond fair.

I'm proud to own these specimens and I have you to thank.
Btw the shipping was immaculately executed!

Thank you!
JC Poconos of Pennsylvania

I meant every word. I also enjoy reading through negative comments. It makes me wonder where some of you have learned to garden. I'm not an expert but I do have 55 years of experience under my belt. There isn't a thing I can't grow. Yep, that too. Every plant has a compulsion to thrive.
You can believe that a plant that arrived healthy and well packed was ready to thrive except for your lack of growing consciousness. As buyers we have the responsibility to know that the location where we will plant something is proper. To know what kind of soil we have before we put something in the cart. To know the requirements of everything you bring home before putting it in your soil. And for the love of God if you are planting trees educate yourself as to how deep to put them in. It's our responsibility.

Sellers are responsible for providing a quality product, that arrives with a strong root system and comes well packaged.

Information is free. If reading and comprehension are a challenge, turn to the tube and watch videos on how to do things.

I highly recommend this grower. And if you are looking for things that are not easily found, I would stop by their web page.

Cheers!

I ordered three plants to be shipped dormant in February of this year. The plants shipped quickly and were packaged beautifully-their system keeps the plants very secure without a ton of packing tape or other packing materials. The maple trees and hydrangea looked to be in excellent (dormant) condition. :) The maples will stay potted on my porch until the roots grow a bit more. I’m very pleased with my purchase so far.

When my order of 4 trees arrived in one medium size box I was surprised. Come to find out only 1 of my 4 items were in that box. It was a weeping maple that I was very excited to receive and it looked great.
Mr. Maple had communicated well via automated emails from the time I ordered and the most recent email invited me to contact them with any issues. I replied to that email to let them know that only 1 of 4 items had arrived. They asked me to wait one day to see if the remaining items showed up and promised to ship the missing items again if they didn't. They asked me to stay in touch.
The next day I let them know the items did not arrive. They promised to ship the the missing items the following Monday (I believe they ship early in the week to avoid weekend delays).
Sure enough, on Tuesday of the following week, the three missing items arrived, all looking fantastic.
This is fantastic customer service. I look forward to doing more business with them.

Great customer service. I’ve ordered from this company a LOT over the last two years. They are my go-to for young Japanese Maples. Their prices are low because their plants are young but usually quite robust.

Here are my general tips for working with this vendor:

- if you encounter any issues, take a pic and email right away. I’ve found they are very responsive.

- if you order late in the season (Aug/Sept), you’ll likely receive a larger one gallon size than earlier in the season (March/April)

- if you’re looking for hard to find Japanese Maples, check out their 10@10 Tuesday selections (and their YouTube channel). You can score some real deals on hard to find plants. I’ve also purchased conifers and ginkgo plants from them and been happy.

After purchasing numerous plants online, especially these last few years, this vendor has exceeded my expectations.

I’ve relied on Dave’s Garden reviews when vetting a new online vendor, and here are other companies I’d highly recommend:

Topiary Gardens (NY)

ForestFarm (OR)

Bloom River Gardens (OR)

Eastfork Nursery (WA) “Sam the Maple Lady”

I ordered Acer palmatum "Bloodgood Maple. This was my first experience with Mr. Maple. The tree was packaged for maximum quality for arrival. The tree is in excellent condition, beautifully shaped for a 2 gallon pot, and the price was perfect. I am pleased with the entire experience and will order from Mr. Maple again with full confidence.

New customer to Mr. Maple and would definitely recommend them. I've been wanting a Japanese maple for a while now and when I found this site I ended up ordering 2! Selection is great and my trees arrived 2 days later in fine shape. I'm looking forward to watching them grow and if I have the space will definitely be back to Mr. Maple for more!

I have been collecting Japanese Maple Trees for 22 years and a professional bonsai artist for 30 years. I have been purchasing JM's from MrMaple for years now and it has always been a positive and productive experience. I now have over 600 different varieties and counting, and I've always received healthy and sturdy trees from them. They have always been courteous, responsive and professional to my questions, and I will continue to do business with MrMaple. I had a Nature Preserve and with their wide selection, including sending me emails when sold out varieties became available, this assisted me in extending my collection of well-known and RARE Japanese Maple Trees. Thank you MrMaple for all you do.

The service I received from Mr.Maple was great. A bit of a problem on my first shipment was quickly made right. I plan on doing business with this nursery for many years to come. Great selection with very good prices. The custom made boxes and weed block fabric over soil are great.
Patrick in Houston.

I ordered two fringe trees [Chionanthus virginicus "Grancy Greybeard" Native White Fringe Tree] which I could not find to purchase locally.
The email said they would be shipped within 2 weeks. They were, arrived about 16 days after I ordered. They were well packed.
I was very pleased with one of them. It was small, but there were 10 little branches, with lots of leaves. The other one was lesser quality and I wrote an email, with pictures, requesting an adjustment to my charge. They responded promptly to my email and I highly recommend their customer service.
I would definitely order from this company again. I have no complaints and I do recommend them.

I vacillated between a positive and neutral rating, but based on the size of the plants I received for the price, positive won out. The shipping, however, could have used more attention. Ordered two variegated Rohdeas, which are always expensive and difficult to find. When I opened the box potting mix was everywhere. It really didn't appear that the plants had ever been rooted in the pots of soil they were shipped in. The roots were completely exposed on one plant, and mostly exposed on the other, both were sort of limp and sad. I potted them up immediately, watered well, and by the next day they had recovered beautifully; had they spent more than one day in transit I'm not sure this would have been the case. Despite my initial dismay I am pleased with the Rohdeas; they are easily twice the size that I expected for the price and a week later they still look great, so I am fairly certain they are going to do well and will be a nice addition to my Rohdea collection. Two dwarf hollies in the same order arrived in a separate box, and they were well packaged and healthy.

I ordered three maples, a sweetgum, and four Rohdeas. It was late in the season for me but they had a good sale and I can still plant here in zone 6b/7a. Shipping was quick. Plants were expertly packed and arrived in great shape. The Rohdeas were large, full plants. As a first time customer I am very happy with my order.

Ordered three trees in 1 gal. pots. Plants arrived today via FedEx Ground, less than a week since I placed the order. Plants appear healthy and were carefully packaged. Not a twig was broken. Plants are small of course, but are just as described. I plan to hold them in my unheated garage until Spring.

August 2020: Purchased 3 trees from 3 different shippers two months ago. Mr. Maple was by far the best in Shipping container, tree quality, and size. They earned a second order from me (4 more trees) and it arrived perfectly.

Posted on May 22, 2020, updated May 30, 2020
I ordered three Japanese Maples from this company during the Covid19 shutdown.
The box arrived fairly promptly but when I opened it branches of the largest fell out as it had not been properly secured.
The other two looked a little crushed but okay. However, one never did perk up and after planting it slowly died. The other two thrived, but the shape of the larger weeping one was ruined by having been broken in transit.
I emailed and sent photos but got no reply.
I phoned several times using the numbers on the site, but the phone was never answered and the mailboxes were full. The only reply I got from them was a “butt dial” after I called at opening time where I could hear the person directing movement of trees but not calling me.

I’m on my third order from this nursery and each order arrived packed extremely well in a very timely manner.
All plants are healthy and well grown .
Finding myself gardening in zone 7a after decades of 10 and 9 I had to find a new interest and dwarf conifers fit the bill this company has been a great source for them .

This was my first purchase from MrMaple, a Styrax japonicus 'Emerald Pagoda'. I placed the order through their website. I received an email order confirmation, an email shipping notice with tracking number, and then an email notice that my plant was delivered. The plant was well packed and what I felt was an appropriate size for the listed size and price on their website. No complaints here, and I will likely order from them again.

Ordered 3 maples which arrived well-packed and in great shape. I'll definitely order again.

Terrific- 5 star plants! I can't believe how beautiful the trees are that I received from Mr. Maple. Their packing techniques are amazing. The plants are well branched and healthy. The grafts are precise and well-protected on the younger plants. I have never had better value for my money. I have told all my gardening friends and showed them the plants I got from Mr. Maple. Don't hesitate to order if you want something; the most unique varieties sell out fast!

Before you buy a Japanese maple, be sure to check out the huge variety of trees at MrMaple. They have some of the most unusual and beautiful trees I have seen and these are my favorites so I have seen a lot! I have ordered from them and the trees are always well packed, healthy and ready to plant in the landscape. This spring my trees were beautiful and I know they will only get better as they continue to grow.
I highly recommend this company. The owners are knowledgeable and ready to assist with any question. You can't go wrong with a tree from Mr. Maple.

I never ever like to complain about ones service and mail order because there are so many folks out there that just want something for nothing 

So today I received my order of Ryusen and Beni kawa trees that were ordered not to long ago 

When I walked out to my porch and saw this huge box I was in wonder because of an E mail that stated that I would get the trees on the 9th

My issue with these trees is that they were the VERY BEST PACKING OF ANY TREE OR plant I have EVER received and the condition of the trees was better than if I had gotten them from my nursery down the road.

The trees that I received were where my issue is and my comment on these absolute and completely satisfied I am as to not only the condition but the size of the trees 

I could not be more pleased with the complete and entire transaction and look fwd to doing more business with your company 

I received an order or the Bihou from another mail order because you were sold out on that variety. This company claimed that the tree was a 3 yr old graft and when I got it it was completely scattered throut a box and no dirt on the roots and to make matters worse the tree was not even labled and the PITIFULLY small limbs were the color of a blood good maple and VERY DISSATISFIED TO SAY THE LEAST 

Needless to say I was not a happy camper 

It is refreshing to now have a company and a maple expert that is dependable and honest along with insight and info on how to care for these trees to ensure the true success of these trees.

Thank you for your service response and even you quick answered to my access to your sight at 8 o clock at nite one evening 

I have pictured your trees upon delivery and upon opening these trees that I am truly impressed grateful AND EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH MY ORDER AND THAT I NOW HAVE A MAIL ORDER THAT IS ABOVE ANY OTHER MAIL ORDER COMPANY I HAVE ORDERED FROM.

THANK YOU 

My husband and I are fortunate enough to live 40 minutes away and we have learned so much from Tim! Beautiful, unique, healthy trees that we know will bring us joy as we watch them grow on our landscape. The bark of the Swamp Thing (Metasequoia) is stunning! MrMaple provides us with Japanese Maple and Culture experts ... Their respect for the tree's lineage is evident and learning the 'story' behind the cultivar is also fun!

Posted on September 13, 2018, updated September 17, 2018
I purchased a one gallon size 'Diane' Witch Hazel. While the plant I received seemed healthy enough, it was just a small stick of a seedling that had obviously not been grown in the one gallon container, but potted up from a smaller sized container. The gallon planter was filled about 3/4 full of potting soil with a tiny little root system sitting at the top quarter, the roots not anchored at all. I've got greenhouse experience, and have potted up enough seedlings and cuttings to recognize this was freshly potted up, and had not been given any time to establish in the new container. Despite being a relatively rare, hard to source plant, the price for what I got can't be justified.

As the owner of a garden design/build operation in Asheville, I am incredibly lucky to be so near Mr. Maple (AKA Nichol's Nursery). Matt and Tim are super knowledgeable and helpful, and they obviously love what they do. Their plants show it -- I have bought too many plants from them to count, and they have all been of the highest quality, and with perfect root balls (never root-bound!). Their selection of maples is absolutely dizzying, but they have many other hard-to find plants as well, from stewartia to thujopsis, and more varieties of ginko than I ever knew existed. I highly recommend a trip to their nursery if you're anywhere near the area, or ordering online from them if you're not.

Purchased a 3 gal stewartia monadelpha orange bark. The tree was 5' ft tall + and a nice looking tree for the tree size, shipping was fast and tree was packed well. I will order from them again. They have some rare type tree's that are hard to find and also lot's of rare maples that are hard to find,I was very satisfied with my tree that was ordered . I want to thank them again for their time, fast shipping and the nice size tree I received.....

Fantastic maples. Very knowledgeable. Great communication. Maples received in great shape and looking very healthy. Packed very securely. I have found a place to support my hobby of growing hard to find maples. Looking forward to seeing how Acer Skutchii and Acer grandidentatum 'Hipazam' / Highland Park do in Colorado at 7,500 feet.

My personal experience has been excellent with this site. Matt and Tim are always available for messaging in the case of questions or concerns. I found Facebook to be the fastest way to reach them. The products I have ordered always arrived quickly, in good condition and have performed. The site is easy to use. I have ordered many 3 gallon and 1 gallon sizes. The sizes have been exactly what I have expected for a Japanese Maple sold as a 1 or 3 gallon plant. They have been comparable to any garden center I have visited as far as sizing goes. Considering a 1 gallon tree is typically a rather tiny tree, I’d recommend a 3 gallon size if more “instant gratification” is desired. Will definitely order again.

Received my order today. Fast friendly service. Trees arrived in excellent shape. Ordering was easy. It is a pleasure to buy from Mr. Maple. And if you haven't visited their greenhouses, I suggest you make the trip to Flatrock, NC. My only problem is narrowing down selections to a reasonable amount for the landscape!

Posted on October 28, 2013, updated May 29, 2017
We are close enough that we can visit the nursery. Recently NC State professor Brice Lane featured it on his PBS show " In the Garden." After seeing the show we had to made a visit. We bought four trees (one very rare) and they were in great shape. When they say 1000 cultivars they mean it. It is simply overwhelming to see so many different maples. We found that Matt and Tim don't (can't) list all of their stock on their web site. Ask if you want something special. I think your odds are good that they will have it.

I have bought over 30 Japanese Maples from Matt and Tim over the years and have found the plants to be of excellent quality. I am always astounded by their knowledge and their memory. I mentioned to them I was looking for a particular maple and a year later, they had found it and surprised me with it at the same plant festival. The passion and knowledge they bring to the selection and purchase experience is always first rate!

I have purchased from Nichol's Nursery/Mr Maple for more than six years. I thank Tim and Matt for all they do for me in providing information about their trees, bushes, and plants. I have lost only one tree and they worked with me to make sure of success in planting after purchasing fifty plus trees. I highly recommend Nichol's Nursery. They are helpful and knowledgeable about trees and plants and provide great customer service and excellent plants.

Just visited Mr Maple over the mothers day weekend to get mom a nice Japanese maple and of course myself a few. I am an avid maple collector with over 250 cultivars and the selection, quality, and service from the Mr Maple guys is the best bar none.

I have visited nurseries and ordered mail order from pretty much every maple specialty nursery and Mr Maple has opened up the world maple cultivars never very accessible to us collectors.

I got Mom a beautiful new cultivar 'Moonrise' which was pure gorgeousness! Yellow leaves with new growth showing a nice reddish pink on top. Of course felling the need to add to my collection I grabbed a few rarer cultivars.

3 g Verkades Jacus Potus
3 g Hazeroino
3 g Yamato Hagoromo
3 g A.b. Michael Steinhardt
3 g A.b. Hana chiru sato
3 g A sh. Moonrise

All gorgeous 3 gal 4+ ft tall. Very healthy and great prices!!!

The best place for all your specialty maple needs!!! Some of the most knowledgeable nurserymen in the maple industry great helping new gardeners or the most seasoned collectors!

Its a great felling knowing they are only a couple hours drive away!

Always look forward to their Memorial Day Open House!

Posted on January 3, 2014, updated May 18, 2016
Posted on October 24, 2013, updated January 3, 2014
I have made numerous purchases from Mr. Maple and all of my experiences have been exceedingly positive. The quality of all the Japanese maples I've received from them has been excellent no matter the size I've ordered but like my most recent purchases, beautiful 3 gallon Muro gawa and Nicholsonii, I strongly recommend that 3 gallon size as it is an excellent value. The packing of the trees is terrific, and if there were any questions concerning the cultivar or shipment the communication was great. Buy with confidence!

Bought a beautiful GoldenTrident Maple called Michael Steinhardt.
Within few days leaves started to shrivel up and drop off.
Called Tim at Mr Maple and he immediately said he would replace it at no cost following week.
All I had to do was to send other tree back at their cost.
Later he told me to keep the other tree and baby it so to speak.
He replacement tree arrived in beautiful condition and looks very healthy.
The other tree is making slow comeback.
I couldn't be more pleased with their service treatment.
I have been buying trees from them for about two years now.
Trees arrive always in good condition.
Would highly recommend these guys.
They know their Maples

Sincerely

Rick Crow

The Nichols brothers (Matt and Tim) sure know their maples. And what they sell and work with has always been top rate. I've several maples from them in the garden that I've gotten over the years. Just received a new rare one I'd been eyeing (Yamato Hagoromo). Gorgeous, large three gallon specimen that now had a prominent place in the garden. They're always helpful, easy to work with, and great to just chat with about plants. Top of their field. I would never hesitate to order from them.

I've worked with MrMaple.com for about 5 years now. Most often, I make the drive to East Flat Rock b/c I'm usually picking up several, and I like to hear the boys suggest others new to me. Recently, I had a rare three-gallon rare maple shipped to me for a client. I was so impressed with the packaging. Not only did it arrive in perfect condition, MrMaple look ahead at my weather and noticed we were having a unseasonable frost as asked if I wanted it held until we were finally frost free! Excellent customer service. Excellent knowledge of plants, and maples, in particular. I will buy from MrMaple again and again. Helen

Great place to find rare and hard to find maples. I recently purchased a Michael Steinhardt trident maple from them and was extremely happy with the size and quality of the tree. As far as I know they are the only online source that carries this beautiful cultivar. First thing that impressed me was the shipment packaging. The tree was secure and undamaged upon arrival and it was very easy to open the box and take the tree out, no excessive taping or fastening. I've had it now for almost 2 months and it's thriving in my garden. I've been collecting maples for over ten years now. I have purchased from many different sources (online and local nurseries) and must say that Matt and Tim at Mr. Maple are, by far, two of the most knowledgeable and passionate maple enthusiasts I've come across in that time. They're always quick to answer questions and they're very friendly. Five star customer support and quality trees are what you will get when dealing with Mr. Maple!

I have nothing but good things to say about my experience with Mr. Maple.com. I have ordered several maples and each time, the trees came within a few days. I am especially impressed with the way they package the trees for shipment. The trees looked great and have all done well. MrMaple.com is my first choice for Japanese Maples and I will be ordering again soon!