The Heritage Reserve
The Big Mamou Heritage Reserve
Reserve Your Plant. We'll Ship When Ready.
Some things are worth waiting for.
The plants in the Big Mamou Heritage Garden are grown here, in Lake Charles, Louisiana — in the same Zone 9A soil and heat and humidity they'll spend their lives in. We don't rush them. We don't force them. We grow them the way the old Cajun nurseryman grew them — slowly, carefully, and with full attention to whether the plant is actually ready to leave the ground.
That means some plants aren't always available right now. A Pawpaw needs the cool of autumn to ship well. A Louisiana Iris is best moved after its bloom cycle ends. A Bald Cypress needs to have its roots properly established before it's ready for your garden.
How the Heritage Reserve Works
When a Heritage Reserve plant is in your cart, here's what happens:
- You place your order and secure your plant — it's set aside for you.
- We notify you with an estimated ship window based on the plant's season.
- When your plant is at peak condition and the weather is right for shipping to your zone, we pack it carefully and send it on its way.
- You receive a tracking notification the day it ships, with planting instructions specific to your plant.
This is how the great American nurseries always did it. Wayside Gardens. Louisiana Nursery. John Scheepers. The best plants in the world were never available year-round — they were available when they were ready.
Your Heritage Reserve plant will be worth the wait.
🌱 Heritage Reserve — Ships When Ready
HERITAGE RESERVE PLANT — This plant is currently in active growth and will ship when it reaches peak condition for safe travel. You will receive an estimated ship window by email within 48 hours of your order. Most Heritage Reserve plants ship within 2–8 weeks depending on season and growing conditions. Your plant is held exclusively for you from the moment you order.
You've reserved a Heritage Reserve plant from Big Mamou. We'll be in touch within 48 hours with your estimated ship window. In the meantime — find your planting spot, prepare your soil, and get ready. Something real is coming. 🌿
📅 Seasonal Ship Windows by Plant
| Plant | Best Ship Window | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pawpaw | Oct–Nov / Feb–Mar | Ships dormant or just breaking; avoids summer heat |
| Bald Cypress | Nov–Mar | Best established before Gulf Coast summer heat |
| Louisiana Iris | July–Sept | Ships after bloom cycle ends; rhizomes ready |
| Heirloom Fig | Nov–Feb | Ships dormant; roots established by spring |
| Sweet Bay Magnolia | Oct–Mar | Avoids transplant shock in Louisiana summer |
| American Elderberry | Nov–Mar | Ships dormant; fastest spring establishment |
| Passionflower | Mar–May / Sept–Oct | Avoids peak summer; ships in active growth |
| American Beautyberry | Nov–Mar | Ships dormant; roots by fall berry season |
| All Herbs | Mar–May / Sept–Oct | Best planting windows for Gulf Coast |
| All Bulbs/Roots | Oct–Dec | Ginger, Turmeric — ship after summer growth cycle |
— Big Mamou Enterprises | Lake Charles, Louisiana