It's extremely frustrating, and seems to be particularly common when looking for native shrubs and trees. If you want us to grow native, then you've got to make the blasted plants available. Sigh. It took me almost ten years to track down Lonicera canadensis, and I had to drive to CT to get it, but it was worth it. I hope that your search is shorter. I did look for it online, and got to page 10 at Google to find this place; I know nothing about them, but it is out there somewhere - good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hobblebush

Yes, I hate that, too! I'm looking for an Anacua tree and can't find one anywhere. Well, I did find one at a local nursery for $100. The wholesaler has a corner on the market and grows them until they are large so he can charge a high price for them.

Jimbob,

That one is a little tough. Native Haunts and Eastern Plant Specialties are the only two I come up with currently. I don't know anything about Native Haunts, but I would recommend staying away from Eastern Plant Specialties (of whom I have seen a number of bad reports).
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Eahamel,

Your plant isn't nearly as difficult to source. Woodlanders (which has a pretty good Garden Watchdog rating) has them.

To the best of my knowledge, hobblebush can't be grown from cuttings, so this makes it a difficult or slower plant to propagate and probably explains why it is so unavailable. It does grow wild here and is quite lovely, but I haven't so far found any viable seed.

Brandon, Anaqua isn't on their website.

It's listed under the correct botanical name (Ehretia anacua). They currently offer it in a 1-gallon size for $15. I think that's the biggest reason people can't find the plants they seek; you gotta know what to call it.

And yet, no matter how many times I type in "Viburnum lantanoides", I get nowhere. Hopefully those seeds are still alive and sprout in the spring...

Another shrub I was looking for is Sandmyrtle (Leiophyllum buxifolium). That one should be common in the nursery trade - Probably too slow-growing for today's instant-turnover market.

jimbob, have you been hanging out in the Smokies? I just saw both those plants (in the wild) on a hike in August.

Good luck with your search.

Forget mailorder, an outstanding plant sale is coming up this weekend in Alexandria at the Green Spring Gardens. It is so popular the public must be shuttled in from distant parking lots.
There is another plant sale on Sept 29 featuring only natives. It is called ParkFairfax, also in Alexandria. Last year there was a fern vendor there with spore-grown ferns that you just don't see anywhere else. Buying direct from the grower is the only way for me.
Can I assume that other parts of the country have similar sales?

Here is a link that might be useful: ParkFairfax Sale in Alexandria Va 09/29

Esh, you read me like a book! I spend a fair bit of time down in East Tennessee (my ancestral grounds), and try to get up to the Mountains whenever I can. I've always marveled at the sheer number of different species there, many of which have landscape potential. While we don't all live in misty mountain woods, I think that many of the plants could be grown with a suitable microclimate. Hobblebush grows in full sun in the mountains, yet it would scorch if planted in the full sun around here. However, I've had luck with many Northern species by finding protected spots with cool soil.

Oddly, a lot of those heath bald plants are found in the New Jersey pine barrens and in bogs in the North - Go figure!

Forget mailorder, patronize your local, non-profit organizations which sponsor plant sales like the one this Saturday in Alexandria. The Green Spring Gardens plant sale has become so popular that attendees have to be shuttled in. They buy direct from the grower.
There is another native plant sale on Sept 29 called ParkFairfax, also in Alexandria. These kinds of functions don't carry "product line", I'm sure that other parts of the country have similar events.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sept 29 Native Plant Sale in Va.