Costa Farms in Florida: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Costa Farms is a family-run horticultural grower headquartered in Miami that calls itself one of the largest in the world. It grows more than 1,500 varieties of houseplants, tropicals, annuals and perennials on 5,200 acres across Florida, the Dominican Republic and the eastern United States, and sells through retailers.
| Location | Miami, Florida (headquarters); also Apopka, Florida |
|---|---|
| Founded | Started by Jose Costa Sr. on 30 acres growing tomatoes and calamondin citrus; described as a 65-year-old company |
| Sectors | Houseplants; outdoor tropicals; annual bedding plants; perennials |
| Scale | 5,200 acres and more than 1,500 varieties, with over 1,000 acres in the Dominican Republic, per the company |
| Why it is notable | Self-described one of the largest horticultural growers in the world, with farms in six locations |
| Ownership | Family-run; Markel Corporation became a partner, per trade coverage |
| Official website | Costa Farms official site: about |
History of Costa Farms
Costa Farms began on 30 acres, where founder Jose Costa Sr. grew tomatoes and calamondin citrus. The company's about page describes a family-run business celebrating 65 years in horticulture, and the story is one of moving from vegetables and fruit into plants that thrive in homes and landscapes.
Growth has come through new sites and acquisitions. The company expanded into South Carolina in 2012, and it now also farms in North Carolina and Virginia. Trade press reported that it was acquiring Green Leaf Nursery, a Homestead grower of indoor foliage and tropical plants, which trade press described as its first acquisition since joining forces with Markel Corporation.
What Costa Farms Grows and Raises
The company grows plants in its own greenhouses and fields at six locations. Miami produces most of its houseplants plus outdoor tropicals such as hibiscus and mandevilla and annual bedding plants. Apopka has more than 10 greenhouse ranges and grows most Exotic Angel Plants. In the Dominican Republic, more than 1,000 acres hold mother plants and cutting-propagation fields. Farms in Trenton, South Carolina, Asheville, North Carolina and Rapidan, Virginia supply perennials, annuals and planters to regional retailers.
Costa acclimates plants to average home conditions before shipping and grows outdoor plants outdoors so they handle landscapes. It uses a Plant Hunter to source new varieties worldwide, and its brands include Costa Farms, Trending Tropicals and Exotic Angel Plants, plus collections for small batch, self-watering and pet-friendly plants.
How Costa Farms Makes Money
Retail supply
Costa grows for retailers across the Southeast and Northeast, and its regional farms let it ship annuals and perennials to stores close to where plants are sold.
Branded plant lines
Exotic Angel Plants, Trending Tropicals and themed collections give retailers and shoppers recognizable products instead of generic plants, which supports shelf space and consumer loyalty.
Direct shipping
The company also ships plants directly to customers, adding a channel beyond store shelves.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Costa Farms
The first lesson is that climate-spread production lowers risk. Tropical and warm-climate plants grow in Florida and the Dominican Republic while hardier annuals and perennials come from Carolinas and Virginia farms near the stores they supply.
The second is that new product development matters in horticulture. A dedicated plant hunter, trial garden and branded collections keep a catalog fresh. Third, acclimating plants to home conditions before shipping reduces customer losses, which protects the brand.
A company that employs a full-time Plant Hunter has clearly never accepted that the best plant is whatever is already in the greenhouse. When the hunt ends, farm.FM offers farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, none of which need acclimating to your living room.
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How to Contact Costa Farms
Website: https://costafarms.com/pages/about-costa-farms
Address: 21800 SW 162nd Ave, Miami, Florida 33170
Phone: 855-915-5561
Address and phone as printed on the Costa Farms website, November 2026. Farms supply retailers, so confirm any visit or purchase through the company first.
Costa Farms Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- About Costa Farms - Official company overview and farm locations
- Costa Farms story - Official history and growing sites
- Nursery Management: Green Leaf acquisition - Trade coverage of Costa expansion
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - National and Florida farm statistics
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - Searchable nursery and crop data
Costa Farms FAQ
Where is Costa Farms based?
Costa Farms is headquartered in Miami, Florida.
How big is it?
The company says it grows on 5,200 acres, including over 1,000 acres in the Dominican Republic.
What does it grow?
Houseplants, outdoor tropicals, annual bedding plants and perennials, more than 1,500 varieties.
Who founded it?
Jose Costa Sr. started it on 30 acres.
Costa Farms shows how a family grower scales from a small Florida farm to a multi-state plant supplier. Read the Florida farms guide for the state picture and the other operations profiled with Costa Farms.