Business Details
45 Years
experience
Trusted Plant Tissue Culture Services in Middleton, WI
Knight Hollow Nursery has been advancing plant tissue culture science since 1981. As a family-owned and operated lab, we specialize in contract propagation of high-value woody ornamental plants through sterile culture techniques. Our facilities include a large indoor rooting room and greenhouses for acclimating plants before shipment. We maintain a 44-year legacy of providing genetically identical plants while expanding our services to include genetic preservation and technical consulting.Our central US location enables efficient nationwide shipping of rooted microcuttings and 200-cell plugs. With second-generation leadership, we combine technical expertise with personalized service to meet growers' propagation needs.
Services
Tissue Culture Propagation
Unrooted Plants
Stage 3 Rooted Plants
200 Cell Plugs
Genetic Preservation
Technical Consulting
Details
- Year established: 1981
Highlights and features
- Family-owned operation with 44+ years of tissue culture expertise
- Maintain sterile culture of 4 million+ microcuttings annually
- Specialize in difficult-to-propagate woody ornamental plants
- Offer genetic preservation and technical consulting services
- Central US location enables efficient nationwide shipping
Services
Tissue Culture Propagation
Our scale-up cloning services produce genetically identical high-value plants through sterile culture techniques. We specialize in woody ornamentals and difficult-to-propagate specimens for commercial growers. Our laboratory maintains millions of microcuttings annually while ensuring genetic purity and viability.
200 Cell Plugs
We supply fully rooted and acclimated 200-cell plugs for large-scale planting operations. These established plants ensure optimal growth performance and efficient field establishment for commercial growers requiring consistent plant material.
Genetic Preservation
Our sterile culture preservation services maintain valuable plant genetics for future propagation needs. This ensures long-term viability of patented cultivars and rare specimens while preventing contamination or genetic drift over time.
Technical Consulting
Our experts provide guidance on tissue culture techniques, production optimization, and problem-solving for plant propagation challenges. Services include process improvement recommendations and specialized training for commercial growers.
Stage 3 Rooted Plants
We offer in-vitro rooted plants ready for transplanting, ensuring proper establishment before field planting. These plants maintain genetic consistency while providing growers with reliable, high-quality planting material.
People
Elizabeth M. Dunham
President
Elizabeth has worked at KHN since 2003, progressing from lab technician to president. With a BFA from UW-Madison, she combines business management skills with hands-on propagation experience to lead the second-generation family business.
William Utech
Head Technician
William manages lab scheduling and specializes in introducing new plants to sterile culture. With a biology background and experience in aquatic plant systems, he has been integral to KHN's technical operations since 2020.
Nathan Erickson
CFO
Nathan brings 20+ years of risk analysis experience from the insurance industry. He supports KHN's financial operations while maintaining his full-time underwriting career, contributing to business strategy and growth planning.
Deborah D. McCown
Consultant
Founder Deborah McCown established KHN in 1981 with her husband's Woody Plant Medium research. She continues daily involvement, providing technical expertise and maintaining the lab's original commitment to propagation innovation.
Brent McCown
Research Consultant
Professor Emeritus Brent McCown assists with special research projects and technology development. His academic background from UW-Madison supports ongoing innovation in plant tissue culture techniques and propagation methodologies.
Questions
What plant propagation services do you offer?
We provide tissue culture propagation, scale-up cloning, and genetic preservation services. Our offerings include unrooted plants, stage 3 rooted plants, and 200-cell plugs for commercial growers.
Do you work with patented plant varieties?
Yes, we specialize in propagating both patented and unpatented woody ornamental plants while ensuring proper licensing and royalty compliance for protected cultivars.
How are plants shipped?
Our rooted microcuttings and 200-cell plugs ship via priority freight from our central Wisconsin location, ensuring timely and cost-effective delivery nationwide.
Do you offer consulting services?
Yes, our technical team provides expert guidance on plant tissue culture techniques, propagation challenges, and production optimization for commercial growers.
What makes your nursery unique?
As one of the first woody plant tissue culture labs, we combine 44+ years of experience with second-generation leadership and maintain sterile culture of 4 million+ microcuttings annually.
Can I order custom plant quantities?
We operate as a contract grower, working with clients to meet specific propagation needs through our scale-up cloning capabilities and inventory management.
