Statistics: Floriculture Industry Overview
Definition:The floriculture industry includes the following types of crops: fresh cut flowers, cut cultivated greens, potted flowering plants, foliage plants and bedding/garden plants. Click here for the Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions about the floriculture industry.
Size of the Floriculture Industry:Total floriculture item sales at retail (flowers, plants and related goods) at all floral outlets (retail florists, mass marketers, other outlets): (2011 Estimated) more than $32.1 billion – following a major revision by the BEA. Source: U.S. Dept. Of Commerce/Bureau of Economic Analysis, 3/1/12 revision
Number of Personnel in the Floriculture Industry: Estimate: 750,000 Legend: m = million; b = billion
Floriculture, Nursery, Greenhouse & Sod: $14.7 b gross market value; the 5th largest segment of agriculture (3rd largest crop of agriculture) Source: U.S. Census of Agriculture, 2007
U.S. Floriculture Growers & Production Source (unless otherwise noted): 2010 USDA/NASS Floriculture Crops Summary published in April 2011 Note: The Floriculture Crops Survey is based on the top 15 states: Data are from calendar year 2010. Sales values are expanded wholesale sales at farmgate. Number of growers of floriculture crops in 15 states with sales of $10,000 or more: 6,126 Expanded Wholesale Value Sales: $4.00 b Number of growers of floriculture crops in top 15 states with sales of $100,000 or more: 2,706 Expanded Wholesale Value Sales: $3.98 b These larger growers accounted for 96% of total sales while comprising only 44% of the total number of growers.
Top-5 Floriculture Production States: CA, FL, MI, TX, NC - combined they accounted for 66% of total sales
Top Grower States for Domestic Production:
Bedding and Garden Plants
Fresh Cut Flowers Top-Selling by Stem: Roses; Carnations (Standard), Chrysanthemums (pompon), Alstroemeria, Tulips, Lilies, Mini-carnations Top-Selling in Dollars: Rose (approx.) $2.5b Domestic cut flower production currently focuses on less common specialty flowers since upwards of 85% and as high as 98% of the most common fresh cut flowers: roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, etc., are imported, mostly from South America. Cut flower imports accounted for $880.9 million in 2011. (See below.) Imported Fresh Flowers: Upwards of 85% and as high as 98% of the most common fresh cut flowers: roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, etc., are imported, mostly from South America. Year 2009 2010 2011 Value ($ m) 768 847.0 880.9 % Change -4.5 10.3 4.0 Major sources of imported flowers by value 2009: Colombia (65%), Ecuador (16), The Netherlands (6), Canada (4), Mexico (3), and other countries (6). Source: USDA, ERS, FAS, FATUS, 2011
Potted Flowering Plants Top Produced in US: Poinsettias; Spring Florist Bulbs; Orchids; Florist Roses; Florist Chrysanthemums Poinsettias produced for Christmas 50 million pots – not including imports in 15 states surveyed. Wholesale U.S. Poinsettia sales $150 million Retail Poinsettia sales (est.) $250 million + Source: USDA & Paul Ecke Ranch, 2010 | FLORAL WHOLESALERS Wholesalers: Approximately 530 Source: Wholesale Florists & Florists Suppliers Association, 2012
Retail Florists Establishments: 19,609 with storefronts (and staff) Updated Estimate for 2009: 17,124 establishments Weddings: account for approximately 10% of retail florists' business. Sympathy: accounts for approximately 22% of retail florists' business. Corporate sales: makes up approximately 17-22% of retail florists' sales.
Supermarket and Mass Market Flower Sales Supermarkets and other mass-market floral outlets capture more than 7 billion (38 percent) of the 19 billion floriculture market. [Note: this was before the U.S. BEA revision of the size of the floral industry. See above.] Superfloral Retaling Web Site, 2007 Supermarkets with floral/plant depts.: 83.5% (2008) Source: Food Marketing Institute, 2009 Floral Departments ranked 6th in growth among all supermarket departments. Floral department sales at supermarkets: Source: Progressive Grocer, September 2012 (FMI Research Dept.)
Holiday Sales (Fresh cut flowers & plants) The top five floral buying holidays, based on number of purchases are: 1. Christmas/Hanukkah 2. Mother's Day 3. Valentine's Day 4. Easter/Passover 5. Thanksgiving "No special occasion" accounts for majority of purchases - more than 30 percent of floral purchases year-round. Source: Ipsos/AFE Consumer Tracking Study, 2005
Approximate number of Roses sold at Valentine’s Day, 2011: Number of roses sold during entire year 2010: 1.67 billion Source: USDA Reports , 2011
Internet Sales of Flowers About 15 percent of the sales at retail florists are from their Web-sites, including from customers who view the sites and phone in their orders. Source: SAF Survey, 2009 Around 12 percent of the U.S. floral industry’s yearly sales was conducted online in 2008. Source: United Online/FTD, 2008
Projected online flower sales: $4.04b in 2012 Source: Forrester Research, 2008
About 15 percent of the sales at retail florists are from their Web-sites, including from customers who view the sites and phone in their orders. Source: SAF Survey, 2009 12 percent of the U.S. floral industry’s at the time $20 billion in yearly sales was conducted online. Source: United Online/FTD, 2008
Consumer Demographics of Flower Buyers The typical fresh cut flower purchaser is female. She is most often between the ages of 45 and 54 (26%), college educated (30%), employed full time (43%) and earning over $75,000 (33%) (Other profiles available upon request.) Ipsos/AFE Consumer Tracking Study, 2005 Percent of households purchasing floral products in 2005: Fresh Cut Flowers 28.3% Flowering Plants 17.4 Green Plants 9.6 Outdoor Bedding/Garden Plants 31.6 Ipsos/AFE Consumer Tracking Study, 2005
Compiled by SAF Research Information, 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||