I realy like your good color photos of fruit, and would also like to see the tree leaves clearly (sometimes are shown) as well as mature tree size although the tree size is described in text. I did... See more
Company replied
While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more
To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more
Review summary
Created with AI, based on recent reviews
What people talk about most
Reviews shaping this summary
I've dealt with 4 different companies for my needs and comparisons. Stark was better than 2 others, but room for improvement. I'm still waiting for 2 trees I ordered in the summer. First frost alread... See more
Company replied
I have shopped Stark Bros. for more than 40 years. I have always appreciated their quality. Unfortunately, their prices are a bit excessive lately and today's experience was an example. While I was sh... See more
Company replied
Love doing business with Stark Brothers! Very responsive! We purchased one of their specials with three varieties of strawberry plants (which we can't buy locally but always wanted to try). They got a... See more
Company replied
Company details
Information provided by various external sources
Stark Bro's offers quality nursery products, and helpful advice, for the growing enthusiast. Order trees, plants, and supplies online now or request a catalog.
Contact info
U.S. 54 20947, 63353, Louisiana, United States
- starkbros.com
3.9
Great
200 reviews
Asks customers to review
This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative
Replied to 100% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 24 hours
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
I ordered a Bushel and Berry Raspberry…
I ordered a Bushel and Berry Raspberry Shortcake variety of Raspberry for my container garden. This was the very first time ordering from this company only because the plant I wanted was a bit expensive elsewhere. I ordered last Sunday while they were having a free shipping promotion.
Well, the plant arrived today and it was not as expected. I was expecting a slightly larger plant. Also, they triple boxed the plant; one on the outside, a smaller one on the inside that held the plant, and another that was around the plant. Both the outside and inside box were badly damaged, and the tiny box the plant was put in was badly damaged. I did appreciate how they wrapped the plant pot in plastic to keep the soil from spilling, but they also didn't secure the box that was around the plant and it nearly fell out of its box. Thank God my husband has quick hands.
The plant was damaged with yellow/black leaves that I had to snip off. I'm not even sure if it's going to survive but I am hopeful.
I should have read the reviews prior to ordering. While I am going to try and save this plant; I do hope that Stark Bros can refund my money for the excessive damage that the plant sustained. Will never order from this company again. I sent pictures and emails to the company, as well as wrote multiple reviews to help make others aware to avoid this company.
Order# 3116978
February 14, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are truly so sorry for the disappointment and frustration this caused, especially as this was your first order with us and something you were excited to add to your container garden.
What you described is not the experience we want for any customer. We take great pride in the quality of our plants and in how they are packaged for shipment, so hearing that the boxes arrived damaged and that the plant did not meet your expectations is genuinely upsetting to us. That is simply not the standard we strive to uphold.
We did carefully review the photos you emailed, and we want to reassure you that while the plant experienced some stress in transit, which can sometimes cause yellowing or cosmetic leaf damage; it does appear to be healthy overall. With proper care, watering, and a little time to acclimate, we are confident it should recover and grow well for you. We truly hope it thrives in your garden.
A full refund has been processed, and you should see that reflected soon. Your satisfaction and confidence in ordering from us matter deeply, and we appreciate you taking the time to send photos and reach out so we could review the situation.
We sincerely hope we may have the opportunity to earn back your trust in the future. If there is ever anything more we can do to help, please know we are here for you.
I ordered plants in October 2025
I ordered plants in October 2025. Over the past 2.5 months, each plant order was canceled without explanation until I called them.
In response to your post... I appreciate the response and feel that the opportunity to resolve was when I called 12/19. I spoke with Ashley.
December 18, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
We’re truly sorry for the frustration this caused, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. Your order timing and the lack of proactive communication are not the experience we aim to provide.
Some orders placed in the fall can be affected by inventory availability, weather conditions, or shipping safety concerns, but we should have communicated those cancellations clearly and promptly rather than requiring you to call for answers. For that, we sincerely apologize.
We value your business and would welcome the opportunity to make this right. Please reach out to our support team directly so we can review your order details and assist with a resolution. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention—it helps us improve.
First I will say that several years ago…
First I will say that several years ago when I purchased from Stark Brothers it was a good experience in that the fruit tree's arrived when promised and grew as they should. Now, I am sorry that I wasted my time. I ordered 2 fruit trees in August with a proximate delivery date of late Oct. to early November. I received an email saying that they would be shipped a little earlier. Then when that date came, I received another email saying that the trees did not meet their standards and so would not be available. They offered substitutes which were not acceptable. To me they oversold and I lost a good time to plant for next year. They were not honest and upfront. They offered me a credit on the account but I insisted on a full refund. Now reading all the other bad reviews, it is obvious that they are not what they once were. Buyer beware, stay away
August 1, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
We truly appreciate your past business and are very sorry to hear about your recent experience. This has been an especially challenging growing season here in Missouri, and some trees unfortunately didn’t meet our quality standards for shipment. Please know that our intent is always to protect our customers’ success by sending only trees that are healthy and ready to thrive.
We understand how frustrating it can be to have planting plans disrupted, especially when you were looking forward to adding new trees to your garden.
All of us at Stark Bro’s value your loyalty and hope you’ll give us another opportunity to provide the kind of experience you’ve had in the past. Our team remains committed to doing what’s right and earning your trust every step of the way.
— The Stark Bro’s Team
Unreliable shipping time …
We'll see how the plants look if/when they arrive. Order placed 09/27/25 with estimate delivery 10/06/25 sent after order placed. As of 10/10/25 and smiling the company , tracking says the plants are on the way. I ordered plants down a different company (that didn't have the exact plant species I wanted this time) and the turnaround from order to plants received was 48'to 82 hours (from an equable travel distance).
October 1, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
Thank you for your order and for taking the time to share your feedback. We completely understand how important timely delivery is, especially when you’re excited to receive your plants, and we’re sorry for any frustration caused by the delay.
If you have any concerns once it arrives, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@starkbros.com.
We truly appreciate your patience and the opportunity to serve you.
— The Stark Bro’s Team
Seven months later and still no delivery – empty promises and auto-closed tickets
I placed an order with Stark Bro’s back in March 2025 for two trees. The order confirmation stated delivery the week of March 23, 2025.
It’s now October, and the one tree still hasn’t shipped. The estimated dates have been pushed from March to July to August to October, with no proactive communication, and every inquiry I’ve made was met with copy-pasted, robotic replies before my support ticket was closed without action.
Even worse, the tree I did get requires another tree for pollination, meaning it’s completely useless without the other. Stark Bro’s continues to list the same item as “available” for new customers while claiming mine is “backordered due to grower standards.”
If Stark Bro’s truly holds their growers to “high standards,” they should also hold themselves accountable and stop selling products they clearly can’t deliver.
This has been one of the worst customer experiences I’ve had with any nursery — long delays, canned responses, no transparency, and no ownership. I’ve since requested a full refund and filed a complaint with PayPal and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.
Buy elsewhere unless you enjoy waiting half a year for excuses instead of trees.
October 9, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
We’re truly sorry to hear about your experience, and we completely understand your frustration. This is not the level of service or communication we aim to provide, and we sincerely apologize for the delays and lack of follow-through you’ve described.
We’d really like the opportunity to review your order details directly and see what went wrong so we can make this right. Would you please reach out to us at info@starkbros.com, attention Brooke and Tabitha? Once we have your information, we’ll personally look into your situation and work toward a resolution as quickly as possible.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback — it helps us improve, and we’d truly appreciate the chance to earn back your trust.
— The Stark Bro’s Team
Received my first order yesterday of…
Received my first order yesterday of blueberries and blackberries. Everything arrived as expected. Berries all looked to be in good shape, with a good root system. Yes orders did get moved around, which is to be expected when dealing with live plants, but overall I am satisfied with what I received. Will be doing more business with this company.
September 19, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback! We’re delighted to hear that your blueberries and blackberries arrived in good condition and that you’re pleased with your order. We always do our best to ensure plants are healthy and well-packed, and it’s wonderful to know you’re satisfied.
We look forward to helping you with future orders and can’t wait to see your garden thrive!
they changed the delivery time by a…
they changed the delivery time by a month
September 1, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
We sincerely apologize for the delay in your shipment. Our goal is always to give your tree the best chance of thriving, and in this case, we adjusted the timing to support a healthier transplant this fall. We appreciate your understanding, and we hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future.
I had a great experience with Stark…
I had a great experience with Stark Bros! They responded quickly to my inquiry and handled everything with care and professionalism. When a few of my plants didn’t thrive, they stood by their warranty and promptly sent replacements—no hassle at all. It’s rare to find a company so committed to customer satisfaction. Highly recommend!
July 25, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
Thank you for the wonderful review! We're so glad to hear you had a great experience with us. We take pride in standing behind our plants and making sure our customers are taken care of every step of the way. Your recommendation means a lot, and we look forward to helping with your gardening needs in the future. Happy planting!
I give ONE star (rather than zero)…
I give ONE star (rather than zero) because they finally (after 5 months!) refunded my order. This is after I already contacted my credit card company (after the "bros" failed to respond to multiple emails from me).
Bottom line: I ordered a couple of trees from them back in the winter. They kept not shipping and not shipping. I had emailed them multiple times and they had not responded. then I contacted my credit card company.
well, now (several months after the original purchase) they have stooped to email me and say they have refunded the order.
AVOID!!!!
June 29, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
We're very sorry to hear about the experience you had and truly regret the frustration it caused. This is certainly not the level of service we aim to provide.
Your feedback is understandable, and we apologize for the delays in both shipping and communication. This past season brought an unusually high volume of orders and support requests, and unfortunately, we fell behind in responding to some customers in a timely manner—which we take full responsibility for.
I’m glad to hear your refund was finally processed, but we understand it should never have taken this long or required you to escalate the issue. That’s not the experience we want anyone to have, and your concerns have been shared with our team as we continue to improve our processes.
We truly appreciate your past business and hope we can earn back your trust in the future. If you ever need assistance again, please don’t hesitate to reach out directly—we’re always here to help.
Their customer service is the worst
Their customer service is the worst. And they can not fulfill the orders they have. This company has had my money since March, still no product and no communication. They get a Z- worst ever. I will never buy anything from them again.
March 19, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
I'm very sorry to hear about your experience and appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback. Please know that we are always happy to help and want to make things right.
I searched our system using your name but was unable to locate an order. If you could provide additional details—such as your order number, email address, or the name the order was placed under—I would be more than happy to investigate this further for you and get it resolved as quickly as possible.
We understand how frustrating delays and lack of communication can be, and we never want a customer to feel ignored or undervalued. Please reach out to us directly or reply with your information so we can assist you right away.
Suddenly ignoring customers
I have been ordering the majority of my live plants and trees from Stark over the past few years and while the quality has been pretty inconsistent, I never had a significant problem with getting replacements under their guarantee.
This changed this year - now they no longer respond to emails aside from an automated response that they have received my message.
Completely killed our relationship and I'm being sure to share this with my subscribers on youtube.
BEWARE
June 12, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
Thank you for sharing your honest feedback. I want to assure you that you are not being ignored. We are always happy to honor our guarantee, and customer satisfaction remains very important to us.
This season has been unusually busy, and we’ve experienced an extremely high volume of emails and support requests, including new orders, which unfortunately caused some delays in our response time. We truly apologize for the frustration this has caused.
I have located your support ticket and will be personally following up with you there to provide assistance and ensure your concerns are fully resolved.
We value your continued support over the years and hope we can rebuild your confidence in us. Thank you for your patience and for giving us the opportunity to make this right.
Don't believe anything they say
I ordered 2 red currant plants in April. Payment was made and taken out of my account by Stark Bros. Promised shipping date was 1st week in May. Then a week later, postponed to 2nd week of May. Then- you guessed it- another e-mail promising by 1st week in June. On May 15th, they e-mailed they were upping the ship date to the last week of May.
I called today and they said now that they wouldn't be shipping until late June or maybe July. The representative wasn't sure why there was a delay so obviously July may not have been possible. They never e-mailed or contacted me with updates since the 15th. Cancelled order. Horrible, dishonest sales department.
May 30, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
We sincerely apologize for the frustration and inconvenience caused by the shifting ship dates on your order.
We want to clarify that all ship dates listed at the time of purchase are estimated. This is standard practice with live nursery stock because plant readiness can vary based on seasonal growing conditions and guidance from our growers. In your case, the red currant plants were not yet up to our Stark Bro’s quality standards for shipping — either due to size, maturity, or transplant viability.
Our goal is never to delay or disappoint, but we also don’t want to ship plants that are too immature or at risk of failure. While we understand this may feel frustrating, it is part of our commitment to delivering strong, healthy plants that will succeed in your garden.
We apologize for any lack of timely communication during these changes and understand how that added to your disappointment. Our intention is not to mislead — we’re simply trying to ensure we don’t send out subpar plants that might result in another type of complaint down the road.
Thank you for your honest feedback. We’re always working to improve, and we truly regret that your experience didn’t reflect the standard we aim to provide.
I had a similar experience as everyone…
I had a similar experience as everyone else. Ordered a peach tree on 4/23 listed as in stock, but got an eta of 5/11 the next day, a week later it was 5/18, which came and went. I reached out by email both times concerned about the delays and got issues about weather, that it takes time to grow things, etc. They charged my credit card at the initial order knowing full well this item wasn’t ready to ship. They finally emailed that the order eta would be June 2 on 5/28 and told them to cancel the order the same day. They shipped it anyway early the next morning so I’m planning to refuse the shipment. The trust is just not there and I’m worried the plant will be subpar which I paid a lot of money for. They have some serious issues bordering on fraud. All the while I’m getting slammed with sales emails!
May 30, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
Thank you for your feedback, and we’re truly sorry for the frustration this experience has caused.
Please know that estimated ship dates are standard practice across the nursery industry when it comes to living plants. These dates are provided as a general timeframe, but actual shipping depends on the plant's health, maturity, and readiness. We simply won’t ship a plant until it meets our quality standards—doing otherwise could compromise its success once planted, and that’s not something we’re willing to risk.
We also understand your concerns around communication and recognize that we could have done a better job keeping you informed as updates occurred.
You have been refunded in full, and this should reflect back to your payment method within 3 business days. If the order still arrives, you are welcome to refuse the package or keep it as a token of our apology — that choice is entirely yours.
We sincerely appreciate your patience and hope we can provide a better experience should you give us another opportunity in the future.
This nursery is terrible!
ordered strawberries and the order has not been pushed back 3 times. I also ordered raspberries and they have been planted 5 weeks and still look like dead twigs. I will never order anything from them again!
May 29, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
Thank you for reaching out, and we sincerely apologize for the frustration you've experienced.
We did experience an unexpected delay with the bare root strawberries, but the good news is they are now in our packing house and set to begin shipping out shortly. As a token of our apology for the inconvenience, we have gone ahead and issued a full refund for your strawberry order. That refund should reflect on your account soon, if it hasn't already.
Regarding the raspberries — we're sorry to hear they're not showing signs of growth. When planting bare root raspberries, it’s important to prune them down to about 2 inches above the soil line, as outlined in the planting instructions. This helps them focus on root development.
You may want to perform a quick scratch test: gently scrape a small section of the bark with your fingernail. If you see green underneath, the plant is still alive and should bounce back with a little time. If not, and they appear to be nonviable, we’d be happy to honor our warranty and offer you a replacement or refund, whichever you prefer.
Again, we are truly sorry for all the delays and frustration. Please let us know how you'd like to proceed — we're here to help make things right.
Worst experience everrrrr
Worst experience everrrrr. Wish could give negative stars.
May 9, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
We're truly sorry to hear about your experience and that we fell short of your expectations. This is never the kind of impression we want to leave.
If there's anything we can do to make things right, we’d really appreciate the opportunity to assist you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer support team — we’re here to help and want to make it right.
Thank you for your feedback. It helps us improve.
After 8 days my cherry tree still has…
After 8 days my cherry tree still has not shipped and no shipment date given. Nobody is online to chat and when I called was put on hold for a very long time until I gave up. Called today during normal business hours and they are apparently closed. Also when ordering was promised a discount for signing up for emails. Coupon did not work. My advice is to order from someone else.
May 27, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
We’re sorry to hear about your recent experience and truly understand your frustration. We see that you requested to cancel your order, and a full refund has been issued. You should see that reflected on your original payment method within 3 business days.
Spring is our busiest time of year, and unfortunately, the high volume of orders and inquiries has caused some delays in both shipping and response times. We know how important timely service is and are actively working to improve that.
We appreciate your feedback and hope we have the opportunity to serve you better in the future.
Unbelievably terrible company
I will never and I mean never order from this company again. Just a terrible experience! They pushed back shipping times from the original intent and communicating with customer service to find a solution is next to impossible. My original order was supposed to ship April 27th and ended up being delivered on May 20th. I communicated that we would not be home at that shipment timeas we are out of state for several weeks. No response whatsoever from Starks. As of this email my trees and raspberry shoots are laying outside in the sun in a box by my door step. We will not be home to plant dead plants until June 6th.
What a terrible way to do business. I will source all nursery items I need from now on locally(I always do this, normally). Starks catalogs will again be used as landfill fodder and fire starter. Live and learn.
May 21, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
We're truly sorry to hear about your experience and understand your frustration with the shipping delays and lack of communication. While we strive to ship orders on time, living plants don’t always cooperate with schedules, and unexpected issues can cause delays. We also regret that your message regarding your availability was not responded to in time.
If you haven’t already spoken with someone in customer support, we would be happy to issue replacements (if available) or provide a full refund for your order. We want to make this right and ensure that you're not left with a loss due to timing and delivery issues.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us directly
An absolute joke of customer service…
An absolute joke of customer service skills. The CEO should be ashamed of themselves organizationally. Horrendous
May 23, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
Thank you for your feedback, and we're sorry to hear about your experience.
We understand how important timely service and clear communication are, and we truly regret that we didn’t meet your expectations. I do see that you have an order currently preparing to ship. If there’s any issue with that order—or anything else we can assist you with—please don’t hesitate to reach out. We're more than happy to help and want to ensure your experience moving forward is a positive one.
Delivery date means. Nothing
Ordered strawberry plants with a shipping date of two weeks every week I would get a later delivery dare, so I finally canceled the order. The only thing they are good at is spam emails promoting axsale
May 20, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
Thank you for your feedback, and I’m truly sorry to hear about your experience with the delay in your strawberry plant order.
I understand how frustrating it must have been to receive multiple shipping updates without a firm delivery date. Our goal is always to ship plants at the right time for your growing zone and when they are healthy and ready—but we recognize that repeated delays can be discouraging, and we apologize for the inconvenience.
As for the promotional emails, we completely understand that too many can feel overwhelming. You can adjust your email preferences at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any of our messages, or by reaching out to us directly—we’re happy to help.
We appreciate you giving us a try and hope you’ll consider us again in the future so we can provide the positive experience we’re known for.
Where the estimates are made up and the ship dates don't matter.
2 stars awarded for having an email system and a record of purchase. 3 stars deducted for everything else.
Ordered 4/15 with their estimated delivery being 5/4.
1. Estimated delivery week of May 4.
2. 4/18, estimated delivery week of May 11.
3. 4/25, estimated delivery May 18.
4. 4/30, estimated delivery early-mid June.
5. 5/21, estimated delivery early-mid June.
Zone 4. Order elsewhere. Their customer service representative (must be singular) is likely assigned to responding to negative reviews.
April 18, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. My name is Tiffany and I’m the Support Manager here at Stark Bro’s. I personally read and respond to each review, and I want to sincerely apologize for the frustration and disappointment you’ve experienced.
We understand how important timely delivery is—especially for bare root plants and especially in a short-season Zone 4 growing area. While we provide estimated shipping windows based on your zone and product availability, this season presented a number of unexpected delays in certain zones and varieties. I know that’s no excuse, but I do want to be transparent that we are actively working to improve these timelines and communications.
Regarding your comment about customer service—I assure you we are a team, not a single individual. However, your comment is noted and appreciated. We know how it feels when you don’t get the response or resolution you expect, and it’s something we take seriously.
we would be happy to review your order and situation to ensure you're taken care of going forward. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly through our Contact Us page or by replying to your order confirmation email.
We truly appreciate your past and present support, and while we may have missed the mark this time, we’d love the opportunity to make it right.
The Trustpilot Experience
Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.
We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.
Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.
Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.
Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.
Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.