Manatee County’s Plant Pioneers
Explore the legacy of the Reasoner Brother’s Royal Palm Nursery at this historic property featuring tropical plants from around the world.
Welcome to the Reasoner Tract
You are currently standing on a portion of Robinson Preserve known as the Reasoner Tract. Before its transformation into the beautiful nature preserve you see here today, this property was owned and operated by the Reasoner Brothers' Nursery as a tropical plant farm. Spanning multiple generations, the Reasoner family has played an intregral role in Manatee County's horticultural history. They are credited with introducing over 75 different plants to Manatee County including the world's first pink grapefruit and the iconic Royal Palm. This StoryMap shares the fascinating history of these plant pioneers and explores some of the unique species they introduced to Florida's commercial horticultral industry.
Reasoner Family History
In 1881, at the age of 16, Pliny Reasoner left his home in Princeton, Illinois on a journey to Florida in hopes of earning a living in the agricultural industry. Citrus farming was growing in popularity across Florida and word spread that there was good money to be made. After traveling around the state to observe new techniques for growing and harvesting citrus, Pliny established his own groves in Orange Ridge, near present day Samoset, and in Oneco, near the current intersection of SR70 and 301 Blvd. The Oneco property would become the main site of the Reasoner Brothers Royal Palm Nursery for over 100 years. In addition to oranges and lemons, Pliny also grew celery, persimmons, radishes, melons, tomatoes, and more. His strong desire to experiment and find new species for commercial production would revolutionize Florida’s horticultural industry.
(Photo: Pliny Reasoner as a young man)
As Pliny's business began to grow, his brother Egbert joined him in Florida in 1885, giving the Reasoner Brothers Nursery its name. Shortly after an inspirational visit to view and collect Royal Palms in South Florida, Pliny renamed the business, adding the words "Royal Palm" as an homage to his favorite tree. The company began to release yearly catalogs which allowed plant enthusiasts from all over the United States to place mail orders from the Reasoner Brothers' Royal Palm Nursery.
(Photo: 1897 Catalog for Reasoner Brothers Royal Palm Nursery)
Sadly, in 1888, Pliny passed away from yellow fever at the age of 25, leaving Egbert to operate the business on his own. In 1895, Egbert married Sarah Burrows Anderson. The newlyweds constructed the family's historic home, called Beth Salem, at their nursery site in Oneco. Sarah later gave birth to three children, Norman (1896), Pliny Jr. (1897), and Julia (1899). Unfortunately, young Pliny died in a hunting accident at the age of 15. Considering the name to be bad luck, the family never named another child Pliny again.
(Photo: The Reasoner Family posed in front of their historic home, Beth Salem - Left to Right - Egbert, Julia, Pliny Jr., Norman, and Sarah)
Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Reasoner Brothers Royal Palm Nursery continued to flourish. Glass greenhouses were built to protect sensitive tropical plants from freezes, a water tower was constructed to improve irrigation, and new plant hybrids were grown, including nine new hibiscus species and the first pink grapefruit. As the nursery grew, the town of Oneco began to make infrastructure improvements, increasing the nursery's access to new customers. A post office and railroad depot were constructed and a telegraph line was brought to the area. The Reasoner Brothers' Royal Palm nursery was one of the first to subscribe with the phone number 7. Beth Salem, the Reasoner Family home, was this first building with indoor plumbing in Manatee County.
(Photo: Reasoner property in Oneco taken in 1907.)
In 1918, the business expanded to include landscape design services. Local businesses were invited for consultations to improve their landscapes. The Reasoner Brothers' designs can be seen in several subdivisions and towns throughout Florida, including Temple Terrace, Harbor Hills, Palma Sola Park, Whitfield Estates, and more. Additionally, The Reasoner Brothers Landscape Architecture firm was commissioned to design landscapes for the Manatee County Courthouse and other areas in downtown Bradenton, John Ringling's Sarasota home, and the Stewart Estate on Merritt Island.
(Photo: Prospect Ave. running from Manatee Ave down to the Manatee river. This is one of the many Reasoner Brothers landscape designs in historic Bradenton.)
In February of 1926, Egbert Reasoner passed away suddenly from a heart attack, leaving his only son and daughter, Norman and Julia, to take over the business. Six months after Egbert's death, Norman and Julia purchased a property in Palma Sola for $1 and "other valuable considerations". This extension of the business was named Reasoner Brothers Tropic Grove Nurseries and the parcel would eventually be known as the Reasoner Tract. With Tampa Bay to the north and Palma Sola Bay to the south, this plot of land was ideal for cultivating tropical plants. The surrounding waters encouraged a humid atmosphere and stable, warm temperatures, providing protection from freezing and allowing palms, hibiscus, and mangoes to flourish.
Photo: Front row, left to right: Priscilla May Reasoner (daughter of Norman), Sarah Burrows Reasoner (Norman’s mother), Egbert Reasoner (Norman’s father) Back row, left to right: Dorothy Chambers (Norman’s wife - married 1920) , Norman Reasoner, Julia Reasoner Hastings (Norman’s sister)
Though Florida was experiencing the collapse of a real estate boom in the late 1920s, the nursery continued to profit through steady mail-order sales. After the stock market crash of 1929 and a serious decline in sales, the business was no longer able to make payments on a loan taken out in 1925 for expansion and a significant amount of land holdings in Oneco were repossessed. Despite this hardship, Norman and Julia managed to keep the nursery going. In 1936, the nursery was re-incorporated under the name Reasoner's Tropical Nurseries, Inc.
Norman continued to oversee the nursery throughout the 1940s and 1950s, making several contributions to the horticultural and landscaping industry, including the initiation of the American Hibiscus Society.
Photo: Reasoner Brothers Nursery postcard circa 1900-1910
In the 1950's, Norman's son E.S. "Bud" Reasoner became a partner in the nursery. Bud helped to establish the Nurseryman & Growers Association and the Florida Association of Landscape Architects. In 1953, Bud married Rae Ferguson who, during her collegiate years, had produced her own catalog of salt-tolerant species of plants, which is still used as a reference for the Florida State Horticultural Society. From the time of their marriage, Rae and Bud worked alongside each other at the Reasoner Nursery. Their two sons, Samuel Anderson Reasoner, "Andy" and Alan "Ward" Reasoner also later joined the nursery operation. In 1957, Norman passed away, leaving Bud to carry on the family business. In 1980, Bud's grandfather, Egbert Reasoner was one fo the first inductees to the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame.
Photo: E. S. "Bud" Reasoner- 1977
The Tropic Grove Nursery property, now known as the Reasoner Tract, was utilized for the cultivation of tropical plants from the time of its purchase by the Reasoners until it was sold to Robinson Farms, Inc. in 1990. The Reasoner family business continued to operate its main offices out of the Beth Salem home in Oneco until the early 2000s. In 2015, the Beth Salem home was demolished and replaced by a RaceTrac gas station.
Robinson Farms, Inc. was owned by William Robinson, founder of Robby's Sporting Goods, which would later become Champs. While under the ownership of Robinson Farms, Inc., the Reasoner Tract, along with other surrounding parcels, was slated to be developed as a community of over 400 homes and a world-class golf course. It was later determined that the space would be better utilized as a nature preserve. In 2012, the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast purchased a portion of the land and deeded it to Manatee County. Today the Reasoner Tract is part of the 682 acres that make up Robinson Preserve, one of Manatee County's most popular destinations for kayaking, hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing. Additionally, this space is home to the NEST and Canopy Zone, a one-of-a-kind structure utilized for play, education, and special events.
Tropical Plant Tour
Follow the map tour below to learn about some of the unique plants grown here and their ecological and historical significance. Plants introduced to commercial horticulture by the Reasoners will be denoted with an asterisk (*)
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1
Tropical Almond Tree
Terminalia catappa
Also known as the Indian Almond or Sea Almond, this tree is native to tropical Asia and Australia, and is naturalized in the Florida Keys. These trees are not true almond trees but are named for their edible seed kernels which taste like almonds. Growing easily near the coast, seeds are often dispersed by floating in the water. In the wintertime, tropical almond trees can be identified by their leathery, ovate leaves which turn red, orange, and yellow.
2
Pygmy Date Palm
Phoenix roebelenii
Pygmy Date Palms are small, slow-growing trees which are native to China, Laos, and Vietnam. The trunk of the pygmy date palm is covered with leaf scars that look like small dull spikes. In the spring, star-shaped, cream-colored flowers bloom in clusters on 12-inch stalks. Small date-like fruits form in the fall, turning red-brown to dark purple when ripe. The fruits contain a large seed in the middle surrounded by a thin layer of flesh.
3
Arrowhead Plant
Syngonium podophyllum
Also known as Goose Foot, the species name of the arrowhead plant means "with foot-like leaves" in Latin. These climbing vines flourish in warm, humid weather and attach easily to tropical trees. Arrowhead plants are native to Latin America but are considered invasive in some areas, as they weigh down tree limbs and take over spaces that native vines would typically occupy.
4
Alexandra Palm
Archontophoenix alexandrae
Because of its regal stature, the species name of the Alexandra Palm honors Queen Alexandra of Denmark. The genus name Archontophoenix is derived from the Ancient Greek word archon meaning "ruler". Though native to Australia, this feathery-leaved, fast-growing palm thrives in the hot, Florida sun.
5
Royal Palm *
Roystonea regia
Royal Palms are fast-growing trees that can reach 50-70 feet tall. They are identified by the smooth green region above the trunk called the "crown shaft" and the smooth grey trunk lined with rings. Royal Palms have significant ecological importance as they provide a roosting site and food source for birds and bats. Additionally, their flowers are visited frequently by pollinators such as bees and wasps. Royal Palms played a large role in the Reasoner Brothers Nursery history. Pliny Reasoner wrote romantically of his first time seeing a Royal Palm stating, “…through the underbrush, we stood awestricken at the foot of a gigantic gleaming shaft towering far above us, over the tops of immense live oaks, and on towards the blue sky; truly the “King of Palms." These palms, first brought into cultivation by the Reasoners in 1885, were a best seller and were frequently used in landscape designs throughout Manatee County. The Reasoner Brothers Nursery became so well known for Royal Palms that Egbert Reasoner was commissioned to design the Florida exhibit at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair which highlighted the beauty of this majestic tree.
6
Traveler's Tree *
Ravenala madagascariensis
Native to Madagascar, Traveler's Trees grow to 30 to 50 feet tall and 15 to 25 feet wide. This attractive plant belongs to the bird of paradise family and has white flowers that bloom in the summertime. They are believed to have provided emergency water for hikers as their stalks can accumulate up to one quart of rainwater, giving them the name Traveler's Trees. This name could have also originated from their wide growth pattern, making the plant appear to travel outward.
7
Giant White Bird of Paradise
Strelitzia nicolai
Giant White Bird of Paradise blooms with interesting flowers that have white petals and a dark blue "tongue". Its leaves are banana-like in appearance and are easily shredded in the wind. Originating in Africa, the Giant White Bird of Paradise is now commonly seen in Florida landscaping due to its ability to thrive in tropical climates.
8
Weeping Fig *
Ficus benjamina
The Weeping Fig is one of over 850 species of Ficus found worldwide. In many ecosystems, figs (genus Ficus) are considered a keystone species, meaning that other organisms rely on them for survival. This is especially true for fig wasps whose reproduction occurs solely within the fruit of ficus trees. Ficus fruits are a food source for birds, bats, and primates, and their leaves are fed on by several species of caterpillars. Weeping figs have aerial roots which grow downward from the branches and take root when they reach the ground. This allows the tree to spread widely, often invading gardens, sidewalks, and roads. Throughout the Reasoner Tract, you will see several different species of Ficus including Strangler Figs (Ficus aurea) and Banyan trees (Ficus banghalensis).
9
Queen Crepe Myrtle
Lagerstroemia speciosa
The Queen Crepe Myrtle, also known as Pride of India, is a large, flowering, deciduous tree native to tropical southern Asia. In the late spring and summer, this tree blooms with vibrant pink and purple flowers. The leaves, which turn red and drop in the fall, are thick and oblong, and grow to be about 12 inches long and 4 inches wide.
10
Everglades Palm *
Acoelorrhaphe wrightii
Originating in South Florida, the Everglades palm grows in 20-foot wide clumps consisting of many trunks. These palms are slow-growing and produce small, orange, quarter-inch fruits that become black when ripe. Everglades palms thrive in moist soil and are moderately salt tolerant, making coastal Florida the perfect place for them!
11
Pink Trumpet Tree *
Tabebuia heterophylla
Named for the showy flowers it produces, the Pink Trumpet Tree blooms in the spring and summer, later developing long thin seedpods which hold numerous light brown seeds. The tree has been historically valuable for its timber production but has also been used in landscape designs for homes, businesses, and streets. (*Gold variety introduced by the Reasoners)
