The Poruban Nursery is a family-owned business, established in 1964 by Floyd and Ann Poruban. A diverse mix of specimen quality ornamentals is currently in production, with emphasis on the broadleaved evergreens and acid soil plants.

Floyd Poruban, the owner, has worked in the nursery industry for nearly 50 years. He attended The Ohio State University, where he received a B.S. in Horticulture in 1961 and a M.S. in Plant Pathology in 1964. His research on crown gall resulted in the discovery of plasmids, a widely used tool in early cancer research. A pioneer of sorts, he was the first blind person to be admitted into any science program since the university’s beginning. He and his wife, Ann, received the very first horticultural enterprise loan in the U. S. to expand the nursery in 1969. Ann, a registered nurse, and their daughter, Jeannette, provide office and technical support for the nursery.

Rich Poruban, Floyd and Ann’s son, was born in 1969.  He grew up in the nursery, and has always loved horticulture. He earned his B.S. and M.S. in Horticulture from The Ohio State University in 1995.  His graduate researched focused on the nitrogen nutrition of field-grown azaleas.  He has interests in plant nutrition and plant pathology, with special emphasis on mycorrhizae and other soil microflora.   Rich’s wife, Debora,  a molecular biologist, owns Cooking with Debora, a personal chef service, and is our webmistress.