Explanation:
Floriculture is an international, multi-billion dollar industry that includes the production of bedding and garden plants, foliage plants, potted flowering plants, cut flowers, cut cultivated greens, and floriculture materials. Floriculture item sales at all retail outlets was $31.3 billion in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Personal Consumption Expenditures (2016). Consumer trends indicate 46 percent of U.S. consumers purchase outdoor bedding and garden plants, 34 percent of consumers buy fresh flowers and 20 percent buy flowering/green houseplants.
According to the 2015 Floriculture Crops Summary, the most recent USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Summary, the 2015 wholesale value of sales of floriculture crops was up 4 percent from 2014 and was the highest in 10 years. The industry growth is also reflected in a 5 percent increase in the number of floriculture producers in the top producing states from 2014 to 2015.The total crop wholesale value for all growers with $10,000 or more in sales in the top 14 producing states was estimated at $4.37 billion for 2015. California continues to be the leading state with floriculture crops valued at $1.08 billion. Florida, the next largest producer, was up 12 percent from the prior year to $1.03 billion in wholesale value. These two states account for 49 percent of the total value of the top 14 producing states. In addition to California and Florida, the other leading states in floriculture production include Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington.
Bedding and garden plants
The wholesale value of all bedding plant production, which include herbaceous perennials, is the largest contributor to total value sales and represents 44 percent of the wholesale value of all the reported floriculture crop produced in the United States. Michigan, Texas, California, North Carolina, California, and New Jersey are the top five states in this category and accounted for 67 percent of the top states in total bedding and garden value in 2015. (NASS 2016)
Potted flowering plants
Production of potted flowering plants for indoor or patio uses was valued at $810 million in 2015. Orchids continue to lead this category with $288 million, up 5 percent from 2014. The value of potted Poinsettias was $140 million, down 3 percent from the previous year, along with the wholesale value of Easter lilies, which was down 8 percent.
Foliage plants
The value of foliage plant sales in 2015 was $714 million, up 15 percent from 2014. Florida continues to lead in foliage plant production with 76 percent of the total value.
Cut flowers
The wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers was $374 million for 2015, up 3 percent from 2014. California's is the US leading producer of cut flowers with a wholesale value of $294 million, accounting for 78 percent of the total cut flower value of the other leading states.
Marketing
The 2009 Census of Horticultural Specialties, a survey conducted every 10 years, determined the primary outlets for floriculture products were retail garden centers and nurseries (19 percent), other mass marketers (17 percent), direct to consumer sales (16 percent), landscape contractors (14 percent) and superrmarkets (7 percent).
