Today’s Technology … Tomorrow’s Plants
Rancho Tissue Technologies is known worldwide for our vigorous, disease-free crops. At Rancho Tissue Technologies we expertly blend technology and true innovation to produce the finest tissue-cultured, custom-propagated plants, food crops, and medicinal plants in the world.
As one of the largest producers of tissue culture in the world and the largest succulent tissue culture producer in the U.S.A., we grow up to 4 million plants per year in our state-of-the-art, environmentally controlled laboratory and greenhouses. Led by Heather Hunter May, our team of expert international researchers and scientists has been producing an exceptional range of plants for over 37 years.
Founded in 1987
Heather Hunter May founded Rancho Tissue Technologies in 1987 with a goal of supplying the industry with exceptional quality plant tissue, including hard-to-find varieties. One of the few female tissue culture lab owners in the world, Heather has a background in molecular biology, bio-chemistry and biology as well as practical experience running her family’s nurseries. Owning and managing the third generation of a family business which at one time included 7 nurseries and numerous orchards, she knows well the quality standards required for cuttings and stock plants, and meets or surpasses these standards with every plant produced at RTT. Heather draws on her years of experience and expertise to oversee every operation of the laboratory and greenhouses, from production planning to quality control to introducing new varieties.The state-of-the-art, environmentally controlled lab now produces more than 4 million plants per year for customers worldwide.
Our team has an extensive background in tissue culture, including developing plant tissue culture protocols and mutation induction protocols for several plant species and ensures the continued growth of our line of tissue cultured products including succulents, foliage plants, cut flowers, perennials, tropical plants, ornamental grasses and virus-indexed plants.
Our plants are available direct from us or through our worldwide broker network. Please feel free to call us at (858) 756-6785 8:00am-4:30pm M-F or use the contact form below if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.
The Rancho Tissue Timeline
1987
Rancho Tissue Founded
Heather Hunter May founded Rancho Tissue Technologies with a goal of supplying the industry exceptional quality plant tissue of hard-to-find varieties.
1992
State of the Art Lab
State of the art, environmentally controlled lab.
2015
Retro Plants
Rancho Tissue becomes a primary succulent cultivar for EuroAmerican Propagators.
2017
4 Million Plants
RTT Celebrates it's 30th anniversary and produces over 4 million plants.
2020
RITA BioReactor Investment
RITA help speed up some of the stages of tissue culture, cut down in labor costs and allow us to produce more plants.
2021
Agave celsii alb x att
A medium sized agave with rosettes up to 2 feet tall with glaucous-gray leaves that curve gracefully upwards.
2022
Agave potatorum 'Spawn'
Grows 2 to 3 feet tall with broad gray upright and slightly recurved leaves with closely spaced small margins bearing red teeth and terminal spine.
2023
Agave Spirits
Our state-of-the-art Agave tissue culture process ensures that the mezcal and tequila industry continues to flourish without compromising quality or the environment.
Over 1000 Varieties
Succulents
Anigozanthos
Fruits Nuts & Grasses
Custom