Nursery & Floriculture Production Industry Profile

Companies in this industry grow and sell nursery stock such as plants, shrubs, sod, trees, and seeds. Major US companies include Altman Plants, Bell Nursery USA, Costa Farms, Kurt Weiss Greenhouses, Metrolina Greenhouses, and Rocket Farms.

The global value of commercially grown floral products and nursery trees is about $90 billion, according to Rabobank; floral production accounts for about $55 billion per year, while tree production is valued at about $35 billion. Developed countries in Europe, the Americas, and Asia account for about 90% of floriculture product demand.

The US nursery and floriculture production industry includes about 50,000 farms with combined annual revenue of about $16 billion.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by consumer income, home sales and new home construction, and commercial real estate construction. The profitability of individual companies depends on anticipating demand for various types of plants, efficient distribution, and competitive pricing. Large operators have economies of scale in distribution. Small operators can compete successfully by raising specialty plants or serving a local market. The US industry is fragmented.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Products include flowers and flowering plants, shrubs, Christmas trees, sod, and seeds, as well as food plants like tomatoes. Large commercial growers concentrate on producing container-grown ornamental plants for indoor and outdoor use, including bedding plants (usually grown in flats and transplanted into beds by the end-user); shrubs; and flowering potted plants. Products include annuals like marigolds and petunias; perennials ...