In 1986 Leon Massoth founded Xotx Tropico, dedicated to opening the doors of horticulture to everyone, by creating a nursery and design service that specializes in the most beautiful plants the world has to offer.

Honored for his creative use of plants by nomination into "Who’s Who in the World of Landscape Architecture",  Leon engineered his first of many plant collecting expeditions while still a freshman at UCLA.  He celebrated his 18th birthday in the Nicaraguan rainforest and has since dedicated his life to the pursuit of beauty and the dissemination of Botanical knowledge through the art form of landscape design at Xotx Tropico based in West Hollywood, California.

Traveling to some of the world’s most unpopulated areas Leon has brought back specimens and seeds seen by few but indigenous peoples.  His expedition to Brazil and the Amazonian Rainforest was highlighted by a study period with his mentor Robert Burle-Marx.  A longtime study area has been the Flora of the South Pacific Islands, hotbeds of evolution and biodiversity.   The last 5 years seen a major propagation effort of the flora of South Africa, many 100's of species grown from seeds and so well adapted to our subtropical climate.   Palm species are also grown in staggering variety and will become the landmarks of future gardens as they develop their magnificent and noble characters.