Teufel Nursery
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Landscaping |
| Founded | 1890 |
| Founder | Gustav Teufel |
| Headquarters | Hillsboro, Oregon , United States |
Area served | Commercial enterprises, government agencies, homeowners |
Key people | Larry Teufel, Linda Teufel, Tina Teufel |
| Products | Landscaping installation and upkeep services |
Number of employees | 200 |
Teufel Nursery is a privately held, family-operated landscaping firm located in Hillsboro, Oregon, USA. Established in 1890, the company offers landscaping installation and upkeep services to a diverse clientele including commercial enterprises, government agencies, and homeowners. With a workforce of around 200 employees, Teufel originally operated out of Portland until the 1940s, then moved to the Cedar Mill neighborhood until 2007, before settling its main office in eastern Hillsboro in 2011.
History
The enterprise was founded by Gustav Teufel in 1890 in Portland's West Hills area. After purchasing property in Cedar Mill in 1946, the business ran a substantial wholesale nursery on Barnes Road for approximately six decades and shifted its headquarters there. In 2007, the company sold the roughly 90-acre Cedar Mill location for redevelopment purposes and returned its headquarters to Portland’s West Hills.
In September 1997, Terry Thornton—previously the sales manager for Teufel’s Wholesale Horticultural Supplies Division—was appointed president of the Oregon Association of Nurseries. In 2009, Teufel collaborated with Pivot Landscape Architecture and Cistus Nursery to implement a green roof project atop Portland’s M Financial Center.
The late-2000s economic downturn and housing market slump significantly affected Teufel, leading the company to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June 2009 after its creditor Textron demanded immediate repayment of a $5.9 million loan. The company’s revenue decreased from $45 million in 2006 to an estimated $32 million. Although remaining profitable and solvent, Teufel faced challenges obtaining new financing, resulting in a transition to cash-only operations and asset sales throughout 2010. Prior to bankruptcy proceedings, the firm employed over 500 staff members.
By February 2010, Teufel successfully emerged from bankruptcy after fully satisfying its debt obligations, marking a key phase in its financial turnaround. As of 2011, the company operated with a streamlined organizational structure aimed at sustainable growth.
Operations
Ownership and management of Teufel Nursery currently rest with Gustav Teufel’s great-grandchildren: Larry, Linda, and Tina Teufel. The company’s notable clients have included OHSU, the Portland Rose Garden, Bonneville Power Administration, Microsoft, the Portland World Trade Center, and even the White House. Additionally, the Teufel family manages Teufel Holly Farms, Inc., which specializes in holly and evergreen plants during winter months and supplies holiday wreaths and garlands for events such as the Oregon Episcopal School Christmas sale.
While headquartered in Portland until mid-2011, the business relocated its main office to the Tanasbourne district of Hillsboro, Oregon—part of the Portland metropolitan area—in fall 2011. Subsequently, it shifted headquarters slightly westward but has remained within Hillsboro, preserving its regional presence while supporting ongoing expansion and market influence.