Gitnux/Report 2026

Flower Industry Statistics

A 2.93% year over year lift in global flower and ornamental plant trade value in 2023 signals growing momentum, even as cut flower quality can still be lost in the first 24 to 48 hours without the right cooling and 1 to 3°C storage discipline. This page connects the big market figures and trade volumes to the practical bottlenecks that shape costs, margins, and sustainability demands for growers, florists, and retailers.
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November 10, 2026Updated
Flower Industry Statistics
Timothy GrantWritten by Timothy Grant·Edited by Rebecca Hargrove·Fact-checked by Astrid Bergmann
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Gitnux editors write the brief first: the topic, the inclusion rules, and the frame for what belongs.

02Source Research

Agents search the published record and log every extracted figure back to the passage it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The flower industry at a glance

The global cut-flower market was valued at $40.8 billion in 2025, with Europe holding the largest regional share and roses the leading flower type.

$40.8B[57]
Global market size, 2025
5.2%[57]
Global CAGR, 2026–2033
$8.41B[34]
U.S. floriculture sales, 2025
60%[58]
Colombia U.S. flower-import share, 2025
Market size
Grand View Research estimates the global cut-flower market at $40.8 billion in 2025 and $42.7 billion in 2026. In the United States, total floriculture sales reached $8.41 billion in 2025, while cut flowers accounted for $389.0 million among operations with at least $100,000 in sales.[57][34]
Forecast & CAGR
The global cut-flower market is projected to reach $60.9 billion by 2033, representing a 5.2% CAGR from 2026 to 2033. Asia Pacific is identified as the fastest-growing region, with a forecast CAGR of about 6.2% during the period.[57]
Market share & regions
Europe accounted for 33.6% of global cut-flower revenue in 2025, while North America represented 28.3%. Colombia supplied approximately 60% of flowers sold in the United States in 2025; within Colombia, Cundinamarca produced about 70% of national output and Antioquia 28%.[57][58]
Segmentation
Roses represented 33.9% of global cut-flower revenue in 2025, ahead of chrysanthemums, carnations, gerberas and lilies. Retail florists and flower shops held a 42.0% distribution share, while commercial applications represented 77.1% of revenue.[57]
Key players & concentration
The international supply chain is concentrated among major producing and trading countries. Colombia cultivated more than 10,000 hectares for export in 2025, ahead of the Netherlands at 7,870 hectares, Ecuador at 7,467 hectares, Kenya at 4,039 hectares and Ethiopia at 1,695 hectares; the United States imported nearly 80% of flowers sold domestically.[58]
Pricing
Royal FloraHolland reported product turnover of €5.4 billion in 2025, up from €5.3 billion in 2024. Average unit prices increased 3% for flowers and 1% for plants, offsetting a 2% decline in the number of flowers and plants sold.[59]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Demand is being supported by everyday home use, self-purchase, wellness and digital retail, while same-day delivery and direct-to-consumer models are expanding access. Key challenges include perishability, cold-chain dependence, transport disruption, sustainability requirements and higher production costs; Colombia reported a 23.7% minimum-wage increase and nearly 12% currency appreciation in 2025.[57][58]
Consumer behavior & competition
Retail florists and flower shops remained the largest global distribution channel at 42.0% of revenue in 2025. In China, online channels accounted for approximately 54.5% of flower retail sales in 2024, while younger consumers are increasing demand for digital purchasing, personalized bouquets and locally sourced flowers.[57]
M&A
Aurora Cannabis acquired 100% of Safari Flower Company on April 14, 2026, for provisional consideration of C$24.7 million, including C$15.0 million in cash and C$11.6 million in shares. The transaction added EU-GMP-certified flower cultivation and manufacturing capacity for international markets.[60]
Regulation
U.S. trade policy became a material issue for Colombian flower exporters after a 10% tariff was imposed in April 2025; USDA estimated that it could add more than $200 million in annual sector costs. The sector also faces stricter sustainability, pesticide, traceability and labor requirements in major destination markets.[58]
Latest news
The USDA released its 2025 Floriculture Crops highlights in 2026, reporting $8.41 billion in U.S. floriculture sales, 11,728 operations and 8,478 operations with hired workers. Royal FloraHolland separately reported that its 2025 product turnover rose to €5.4 billion, supported by higher average prices.[34][59]

02 Ranking

Top 9 Companies in the Flower Industry

The leading companies in the flower industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 7, 2026 · Next review December 7, 2026

Verdict

Ball Horticultural Company and Syngenta Flowers are tied at the top of Gitnux's 2026 flower ranking with an Overall score of 9.0 each.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in flower seeds and genetics

    Ball Horticultural Company

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.0 · Flower seeds and genetics

    Why we picked it: It covers the full workflow from breeding through production and distribution for flower seeds and young plants.

    See in ranking ↓Visit ballhort.com ↗

  2. Leader in ornamental breeding

    Florensis

    NL

    Ranked #3 · 8.6 · Ornamental breeding

    Why we picked it: It supplies a large catalog of ornamental varieties across 50 countries, serving 8,000 professional growers.

    See in ranking ↓Visit florensis.com ↗

  3. Leader in cut-flower farming

    Marginpar

    NL

    Ranked #5 · 7.9 · Cut-flower farming

    Why we picked it: It operates a multi-country farm footprint for fresh summer flowers, backed by a large workforce.

    See in ranking ↓Visit marginpar.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 9 companies in the flower industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Ball Horticultural Company

Flower seeds and genetics · US

9.0
2

Syngenta Flowers

Flower seeds and genetics · CH

9.0
3

Florensis

Ornamental breeding · NL

8.6
4

Dümmen Orange

Ornamental breeding · NL

8.5
5

Marginpar

Cut-flower farming · NL

7.9
6

Suntory Flowers

Flower genetics and ornamental plants worldwide · JP

7.9
7

Beekenkamp Group

Ornamental plants and chrysanthemum propagation · NL

7.9
8

HilverdaFlorist

Cut-flower and ornamental plant genetics · NL

7.9
9

Royal Van Zanten

Cut-flower, pot-plant and bulb genetics · NL

7.9

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 7, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Top 9 companies in the flower industry. In Flower Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/flower-industry-statistics/#top-companies

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Ontario flower growers reported 2.5%–6% of annual revenue spent on automation in 2021, while more than 50% reported less than 25% automation in propagation and shipping.

Automation in the flower industry

  • 2.5%–6% of annual revenue was the estimated average yearly automation spending among Ontario flower growers in 2021.[1]
  • More than 50% of Ontario flower farms reported less than 25% automation in propagation in 2021.[1]
  • More than 50% of Ontario flower farms reported less than 25% automation in shipping in 2021.[1]
  • $20 million–$49 million was the estimated annual automation expenditure for Ontario’s floriculture sector in 2021.[1]

Digital Transformation in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • In the United States, 61% of farmers reported adopting digital agronomy technologies in 2024.[2]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 15.4% had high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 13.0% in 2021.[3]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 51.2% had very low digital intensity in 2023, down from 55.1% in 2021.[3]
  • Across the EU agri-food industrial ecosystem, 20% of companies had a concrete digital-transformation strategy in 2024.[3]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 3.4% had very high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 2.1% in 2021.[3]

Technology Adoption in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU farms, 43% had internet access, 11% used farm-management information systems, and 7% used robotics in 2023.[4]
  • In Canada, 84% of field-crop operations used GPS equipment in 2021.[4]
  • Across EU farms with utilised agricultural area, about 18% used some form of precision-farming technology or practice in 2023.[4]
  • In Germany, 85.5% of surveyed farms used at least one digital technology in 2024–2025.[4]
  • In Chile, 12% of agricultural production units reported using a technological tool such as mobile applications, drones, or sensors in 2021.[4]
  • In Czechia, 30% of crop-production farmers used at least one precision-agriculture technology in 2023.[4]

Cloud Computing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU businesses, 45% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023.[5]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 26% used cloud computing in 2023.[3]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 37% used cloud computing in 2024, up from 26% in 2023.[3]
  • Among EU large businesses, 78% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023, compared with 44% of SMEs.[5]

Big Data in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 13% used big-data technologies in 2024, compared with 17% in 2023.[3]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 17% used big-data technologies in 2023.[3]
  • In Germany, 5.0% of surveyed farms used artificial-intelligence or big-data technologies in 2024–2025.[4]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 307 startups focused on artificial intelligence and big data were formed between 2015 and 2023.[3]

IoT in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among agri-food companies investing more than 30% of annual turnover in digital technologies, 5.41% prioritised Internet of Things technologies in 2024.[3]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 24% used Internet of Things technologies in 2024, up from 10% in 2023.[3]
  • Across EU farms with livestock, about 11% used animal-welfare or health-monitoring systems in 2023.[4]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 10% used Internet of Things technologies in 2023.[3]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Data quality limits AI work: 44% of manufacturers said AI projects failed in 2025 due to poor data quality, and 69% of food and beverage companies still relied on spreadsheets and email.

Data Quality in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 44% of manufacturers reported that AI projects had failed because of poor data quality in 2025, according to a survey of manufacturing organizations.[6]
  • 41% of manufacturers said they distrusted the data used for supply-chain operations in 2025, reflecting persistent data-quality concerns in production and procurement.[6]
  • 30% of manufacturing respondents identified poor-quality data as one of their top three challenges when working with AI-related data in 2024.[7]
  • 42% of manufacturers reported having a process to verify operational data accuracy or quality in 2025, indicating that most lacked a formal validation process.[7]
  • 49% of manufacturing respondents rated their operational data as having low AI readiness in 2024, meaning it was insufficiently labeled, contextualized, governed or accessible.[7]

Data Governance in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 61% of manufacturers reported having a corporate-wide governance plan, strategy or formal guidelines for how data is collected, organized, accessed and used in 2024.[7]
  • 61% of supply-management organizations reported having a dedicated data-governance function in 2024, while 90% agreed that data governance was necessary.[8]
  • 69% of food and beverage companies still relied on spreadsheets and email for core operations in 2025, limiting standardized access and control of business data.[9]
  • 15% of manufacturers said their data strategy was entirely aligned with their overall business strategy in 2024, while 31% said it was very closely aligned.[7]
  • 40% of food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their biggest barrier to moving faster in 2026.[9]
  • 6% of food and beverage leaders reported fully integrated digital systems in 2025, despite 82% saying technology adoption was a strategic priority.[9]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Exports and domestic demand show the balance of scale and pressure: Dutch flower and plant exports rose from €7.0B (2024) to €7.2B (2025).

Growth in the flower industry

  • Dutch flower and plant exports increased from €7.0 billion in 2024 to €7.2 billion in 2025.[10]
  • Global floriculture exports increased 4% from 2023 to 2024.[11]
  • U.S. potted-plant imports reached $980 million in 2024, up 4% from 2023.[11]
  • U.S. cut-flower imports reached $2.702 billion in 2024, up 5% from 2023.[11]
  • Global floral-product imports increased 3% in 2024.[11]

Differentiation in the flower industry

  • 66% of surveyed U.S. retail florists reported using LED lighting in 2024.[12]
  • 61% of surveyed U.S. retail florists reported recycling containers in 2024.[12]
  • 48% of surveyed U.S. retail florists reported reducing packaging in 2024.[12]
  • 52% of surveyed U.S. retail florists reported using recycled materials in 2024.[12]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce pressure persists: Canada’s greenhouse, nursery and floriculture industry had more than 4,300 positions go unfilled at peak season in 2022.

Hiring in the flower industry

  • 48% of U.S. floriculture and greenhouse businesses planned to increase hiring over the following two years in the 2023 survey.[13]
  • More than 4,300 positions went unfilled at peak season in Canada’s greenhouse, nursery and floriculture industry in 2022.[14]
  • 59% of U.S. floriculture and greenhouse businesses typically hired employees both internally and externally in the 2023 survey.[13]
  • 8.2% was the peak vacancy rate in Canada’s greenhouse, nursery and floriculture industry in 2022.[14]
  • 45% of Canadian nursery, floriculture and ornamental employers could not find all required workers in 2022.[14]

Employee retention in the flower industry

  • 18% was the 2022 turnover rate among Canadian nursery, floriculture and ornamental businesses.[14]
  • More than 70% of Canadian nursery, floriculture and ornamental employers identified manual labor as the main factor causing turnover in 2022.[14]
  • 12.2% was the voluntary turnover rate among Canadian floriculture and ornamental producers in the labor-market study.[15]

Remote Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. agriculture and food employers, 35% offered some type of remote-work arrangement in 2024, according to AgCareers’ industry hiring report.[16]
  • Across U.S. agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, about 12% of workers worked remotely during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[17]
  • Across U.S. crop and animal production, 14.4% of workers worked remotely in 2021, compared with 14.7% in 2019 and 15.4% in 2020.[18]
  • Across U.S. accommodation and food services, 4.8% of workers worked remotely in 2021, up from 1.9% in 2019 and 5.3% in 2020.[18]

Hybrid Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among science-of-food professionals surveyed globally in 2024, respondents averaged 2.1 work-at-home days per week.[19]
  • Among science-of-food professionals surveyed in 2024, 36% reported having no work-at-home days per week.[19]
  • 84% of Australian agribusiness organisations planned no change to existing flexible or hybrid work arrangements in 2026.[20]
  • Across employers discussed in a food-industry hybrid-work survey, about 90% had adopted some form of hybrid work, although the figure was not limited to agriculture and food production.[19]
  • 44% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals preferred part-time remote work in 2024.[21]

Upskilling in the flower industry

  • 76% of U.S. floriculture and greenhouse businesses provided professional-development benefits to administrative employees in the 2023 survey.[13]
  • 56% of U.S. floriculture and greenhouse businesses provided professional-development benefits to production employees in the 2023 survey.[13]

Employee Engagement in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 60.9% on enablement in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[22]
  • At Europe Snacks, a multinational food manufacturer, employee engagement reached 79% across its international workforce and 88% in its UK business after a structured listening program.[22]
  • Manufacture, distribution and storage organizations recorded an average employee-engagement score of 72.9% in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[22]
  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 59.3% on leadership in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[22]
  • In the agriculture industry, employees averaged 7.68 out of 10 for engagement and an eNPS of +5 in CultureMonkey’s 2026 benchmark.[23]

Change Management in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 31% reported changing elements of their supply chain as a structural change.[24]
  • Among consumer packaged goods executives surveyed, 54% said resources dedicated to change programs had increased during the previous 12 months.[25]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 37% reported expansions, renovations or added capacity as structural changes.[24]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 40% reported changing a process as a structural change.[24]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 53% reported conducting safety-related training as a structural change.[24]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Demand remains gift-led: 67% of U.S. fresh-flower purchases were gifts in the 2016 Floral Purchase Tracking Study.

Customer experience in the flower industry

  • 60% of Americans said a flower gift has a special meaning unlike any other gift in the 2016 Generations of Flowers Study.[26]
  • 69% of Americans said flowers’ sight and smell can improve mood in the 2016 Generations of Flowers Study.[26]
  • 80% of Americans said receiving flowers makes them happy in the 2015 SAF Omnibus Survey.[26]
  • 65% of Americans said receiving flowers makes them feel special in the 2016 Generations of Flowers Study.[26]
  • 77% of Americans perceived people who give flowers as thoughtful in the 2016 Generations of Flowers Study.[26]

Customer acquisition in the flower industry

  • 21% of U.S. flower and plant purchasers were men in the Floral Purchase Tracking Study conducted in 2016.[26]
  • 35% of U.S. fresh-flower purchasers were men in the Floral Purchase Tracking Study conducted in 2016.[26]
  • 79% of U.S. flower and plant purchasers were women in the Floral Purchase Tracking Study conducted in 2016.[26]
  • 67% of U.S. fresh-flower purchases were gifts in the Floral Purchase Tracking Study conducted in 2016.[26]

Customer loyalty in the flower industry

  • 73% of Americans reported high appreciation of flowers in the 2016 Generations of Flowers Study.[26]
  • 89% of Americans remembered the last time they gave someone flowers in the 2015 SAF Omnibus Survey.[26]
  • 77% of American women remembered the last time they received flowers in the 2015 SAF Omnibus Survey.[26]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Discovery keeps moving online: 66% of Generation Z consumers purchased flowers online in the prior year, and 55% said Instagram, TikTok or Facebook influenced discovery.

Marketing in the flower industry

  • 41% of U.S. consumers purchased flowers from florists or floral shops for birthday gifts, compared with 21% purchasing online.[27]
  • 4.4 times per year was the average purchase frequency for cut flowers among surveyed U.S. households, with average spending of $43.76 per purchase.[27]
  • 34% of U.S. flower buyers purchased flowers for Easter from florists or floral shops, while 30% used major grocery stores.[27]
  • 38% of Americans bought flowers or plants for Mother’s Day in 2025, the highest share recorded in the 13-year survey history, United States.[26]

Digital marketing in the flower industry

  • 66% of surveyed Generation Z consumers purchased flowers online during the prior year, United States.[28]
  • 35% of surveyed online plant and flower shoppers used social media as a source for finding products, United States.[27]
  • 55% of surveyed Generation Z consumers said Instagram, TikTok or Facebook influenced their floral product discovery, United States.[28]
  • 29% of surveyed online plant and flower shoppers used Google to find products, United States.[27]

Social media in the flower industry

  • 20% of surveyed consumers used neighborhood websites to find plants or flowers online, United States.[27]
  • 44.5% of surveyed Generation Z consumers had never purchased flowers through social media, United States.[29]
  • 55.5% of surveyed Generation Z consumers had purchased flowers through social media at least once, United States.[29]
  • 35% of surveyed consumers used social media to find plants or flowers online, United States.[27]

Influencer Marketing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Food and drink influencer content generated 42.7 billion engagements globally in 2023.[30]
  • Food and drink influencer content produced an estimated $122 billion in earned media value globally in 2023.[30]
  • Food and drink influencer content involved 78,800 profiles globally in 2023, based on Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[30]
  • 11.5 million influencer posts covered food and drink globally in 2023, according to Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[30]
  • Food and drink influencer content generated 392 billion impressions globally in 2023.[30]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Shrink and loss remain operational constraints; some retail floral operations reported a 7% to 10% shrink rate, while a typical range cited was also 7% to 10%.

Process optimization in the flower industry

  • 2,626 labor hours per acre was the average among participating cut-flower farms after excluding one outlier in a U.S. financial benchmarking study.[31]
  • 5% or less is the shrink rate achieved by some floral retail chains after focused purchasing, receiving and store-process controls, United States.[32]
  • 20% to 25% is the reported floral shrink rate for some new operations before process improvements, United States.[32]
  • 7% to 10% is the estimated average floral shrink rate cited for retail floral operations, United States.[32]

Operational efficiency in the flower industry

  • 6,795,022 thousand dollars was the value of U.S. floriculture sales in 2024, compared with $5,544,587 thousand in 2019.[33]
  • 7,535 U.S. floriculture operations employed hired workers in 2024, up 15% from 2023.[34]
  • 15 peak hired workers per operation was the U.S. floriculture average in 2024, down from 16 workers in 2023.[34]
  • 12,497 U.S. floriculture operations were recorded in the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties.[33]

Quality management in the flower industry

  • 10% was cited as an approximate average floral shrink level in retail operations, United States.[32]
  • 20% to 25% floral shrink was reported as a possible level for a newly established operation before quality and handling controls mature, United States.[32]
  • 5% or less was the shrink level achieved by some floral chains using stronger quality and handling systems, United States.[32]
  • 7% to 10% was identified as a typical floral shrink range requiring coordinated purchasing, receiving and merchandising controls, United States.[32]

Supply chain in the flower industry

  • $1.4 million per week was the reported maximum loss for Kenya’s flower industry during the 2026 shipping disruption.[35]
  • 70% of Kenya’s flower exports normally went to Europe, according to industry figures cited during the 2026 shipping disruption.[35]
  • 30% of one Kenyan flower farm’s business normally came from direct Middle East exports before shipping disruptions in 2026.[35]
  • 15% of Kenya’s national flower business normally went directly to Middle Eastern markets before the 2026 disruption.[35]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 85% of Canadian food and beverage companies processed or manufactured products internally in 2020, while 13% both produced internally and outsourced production.[36]
  • 49% of U.S. growers surveyed outsourced at least some farm work to third-party service providers in 2022, with spraying services the most commonly outsourced activity.[37]
  • About 12% of firms in the 11-country World Bank Firm-level Adoption of Technology sample outsourced at least one food-processing function, compared with about 18% in apparel.[38]
  • 2% of Canadian food and beverage companies outsourced production entirely to third-party manufacturers in 2020.[36]
  • 19% of surveyed Queensland food-processing businesses contracted work out in 2010, while 28% contracted work in and 15% did both.[39]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing growth can offset volumes: Royal FloraHolland reported average unit prices increased 3% for flowers and 1% for plants in 2025.

Pricing strategy in the flower industry

  • $71 was the average U.S. Mother’s Day flower-and-plant purchase in 2025, up from $60 in 2024.[26]
  • $43.76 was the average amount spent per U.S. cut-flower purchase in a national household survey.[27]
  • $60 was the average U.S. Mother’s Day flower-and-plant purchase in 2024.[26]
  • 30% to 40% was the reported average markup on locally produced cut flowers in an urban flower-farm analysis.[40]

Cost reduction in the flower industry

  • 25% was the reported recent increase in labor costs among Utah cut-flower growers surveyed for an industry study.[31]
  • 36% of total expenses in U.S. horticultural operations were labor costs in 2024, making labor the largest reported expense category.[34]
  • 6% was the reported recent increase in supplies costs among Utah cut-flower growers surveyed for an industry study.[31]
  • 33% was the increase in total expenses for U.S. horticultural operations between 2019 and 2024.[34]

Profitability in the flower industry

  • $91,581 was average gross sales per acre among participating cut-flower farms after excluding outliers in a U.S. financial benchmarking study.[31]
  • $30,257 was average net income per acre among participating cut-flower farms after excluding outliers in a U.S. financial benchmarking study.[31]
  • $64,000 was the average gross revenue per acre reported in a 2021 study of Utah’s cut-flower industry.[41]
  • 21% was the average net-to-gross ratio across participating cut-flower farms in a U.S. financial benchmarking study.[31]

Financial planning in the flower industry

  • 2.16x was the average earnings valuation multiple for flower-shop businesses sold in 2023, up from 1.81x in 2021.[42]
  • $5.884 billion was U.S. florist-industry revenue in 2024, with $1.308 billion in annual payroll.[43]
  • $52,325 was average net flower income among participating cut-flower farms in a U.S. financial benchmarking study.[31]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Delivery is a common service layer: 90.3% of surveyed U.S. florists offered delivery services in 2024, with delivery distances of 6 to 100 miles.

Product lifecycle in the flower industry

  • 0.108 kg CO₂e per flower stem was the impact for a lower-impact bouquet system using recycled water, no plastic packaging and mixed flower sourcing, according to a Danish life-cycle assessment published in 2023.[44]
  • 0.167 kg CO₂e per flower stem was the impact for a conventional flower distribution system using plastic wrapping and conventionally grown flowers purchased through wholesalers, according to a Danish assessment published in 2023.[44]

After-sales in the flower industry

  • 90.3% of surveyed U.S. florists offered delivery services in 2024, with delivery distances ranging from 6 to 100 miles.[13]
  • 0.6% of Japanese flower buyers rated customer service as an important factor when purchasing flowers for personal use in 2018.[45]
  • 1.3% of Japanese flower buyers rated customer service as an important factor when purchasing flowers as gifts in 2018.[45]

Value proposition in the flower industry

  • 46.9% of Japanese consumers cited arrangement, bouquet and wrapping as important factors when buying flowers as gifts in 2018.[45]
  • 55% of U.S. florist customers bought flowers as gifts, compared with 35% of supermarket floral customers, according to a customer profile cited by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.[32]
  • 25.4% of Japanese consumers cited flower type as an important factor when buying flowers for personal use in 2018.[45]
  • 34.2% of Japanese consumers cited price as an important factor when buying flowers for personal use in 2018.[45]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability implementation shows friction: 42% of surveyed U.S. florists identified implementation cost as the leading barrier to adopting sustainable practices in 2024.

Sustainability in the flower industry

  • 42% of surveyed U.S. florists identified implementation cost as the leading barrier to adopting sustainable practices in 2024.[13]
  • 39% of surveyed U.S. florists reported having a sustainability plan in 2024, while 41% were considering one.[13]
  • 68% of surveyed U.S. florists used LED lighting as a sustainability practice in 2024.[13]
  • 61% of surveyed U.S. florists recycled containers in 2024.[13]
  • 43% of surveyed U.S. florists said sustainable practices were very important to their business in 2024.[13]

ESG in the flower industry

  • 58% of surveyed U.S. flower suppliers reported having a dedicated sustainability officer in 2024.[13]
  • 20% of surveyed U.S. florists reported having a dedicated sustainability officer in 2024.[13]
  • 10% of surveyed U.S. florists reported sustainability certification in 2024.[13]
  • 63% of surveyed U.S. flower suppliers reported having sustainability plans in 2024.[13]

Ethics in the flower industry

  • 93 pesticides identified in flower production or preservation were reported as banned in the European Union, according to figures from a 2021 study cited by Le Monde.[46]
  • Almost 50% of the highly toxic pesticide molecules examined in flowers sold in Europe were detected in samples, according to a 2021 study cited by Le Monde.[46]
  • More than 200 pesticides have been identified as used in flower production or preservation, according to figures reported by Le Monde from a 2021 study.[46]

CSR in the flower industry

  • 55% of surveyed U.S. flower growers used composting as a sustainability practice in 2024.[13]
  • 45% of surveyed U.S. flower growers used biological pest control in 2024.[13]
  • 42% of surveyed U.S. flower growers used organic fertilizer in 2024.[13]
  • 50% of surveyed U.S. flower growers used fertilizer or runoff mitigation practices in 2024.[13]

Circular economy in the flower industry

  • 39% of surveyed U.S. florists used composting in 2024.[13]
  • 53% of surveyed U.S. flower suppliers reported using water recycling in 2024.[13]
  • 52% of surveyed U.S. florists used recycled materials in 2024.[13]

Carbon footprint in the flower industry

  • 3 kg CO₂e per flower was the upper carbon-footprint estimate for international cut-flower trade cited in a 2025 Bioscience review article.[47]
  • 32.3 kg CO₂e per bouquet was the upper carbon-footprint estimate for international cut-flower trade cited in a 2025 Bioscience review article.[47]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

The U.S. import footprint is heavily air-dependent: Colombia accounted for 42.3% of air-transported flower exports in 2024, and the U.S. imported nearly 80% of flowers sold domestically.

Globalization in the flower industry

  • $10.8 billion was the global export value of cut flowers in 2024.[53]
  • The value of flowers transported by air reached $3.7 billion in 2024, up from $852 million in 2003.[54]
  • The United States accounted for 18% of global floriculture imports in 2024.[53]
  • Colombia accounted for 42.3% of air-transported flower exports in 2024.[54]
  • $26.1 billion was the global export value of floriculture products in 2024.[53]

Cultural adaptation in the flower industry

  • 12% of U.S. cut-flower purchases were for anniversaries in 2016.[26]
  • 12% of U.S. cut-flower purchases were for birthdays in 2016.[26]
  • 23% of U.S. consumers bought cut flowers without a special occasion in 2016.[26]
  • 77% of U.S. cut-flower purchases were made for a specific reason or occasion in 2016.[26]

Supplier management in the flower industry

  • 21.0% of surveyed U.S. floriculture suppliers reported holding a sustainability certification in 2024.[55]
  • 66% of surveyed U.S. floriculture suppliers reported using recycled materials in 2024.[12]
  • 66% of surveyed U.S. floriculture suppliers reported using recycling containers in 2024.[12]
  • 63% of surveyed U.S. floriculture suppliers reported energy-reduction practices in 2024.[12]

Stakeholder management in the flower industry

  • 45% of surveyed flower and plant growers wanted to modernize operations in 2025.[10]
  • 45% of surveyed flower and plant growers identified price volatility as a top challenge in 2025.[10]
  • 61% of surveyed flower and plant growers identified energy costs as a top challenge in 2025.[10]
  • 79% of U.S. personal flower purchasers were women in the latest consumer-purchase statistics reported by the Society of American Florists.[26]

Distribution channels in the flower industry

  • 31.2% of air-transported flower imports went to the Netherlands in 2024.[54]
  • 91% of U.S. air-imported flowers entered through Miami International Airport in 2025.[56]
  • 53.6% of air-transported flower imports went to the United States in 2024.[54]
  • 30% of U.S. birthday-gift flower purchases were made at major grocery stores in a 2021 survey.[27]
  • 41% of U.S. birthday-gift flower purchases were made at florists or floral shops in a 2021 survey.[27]

Key questions about the Flower Industry

How large is the global cut-flower market in 2025?
The global cut-flower market is estimated at $40.8 billion in 2025. Europe holds the largest regional share, and roses are the leading flower type.
What growth rate is expected for cut flowers from 2026 to 2033?
The global market CAGR for 2026–2033 is 5.2%. The market is projected to reach $60.9 billion by 2033.
Which companies lead the flower industry?
Ball Horticultural Company and Syngenta Flowers are tied at the top of Gitnux's 2026 flower ranking with an Overall score of 9.0 each.
What technology shifts show up in agriculture and farming adoption data?
In the United States, 61% of farmers reported adopting digital agronomy technologies in 2024. Across EU farms, 43% had internet access in 2023, while only 11% used farm-management information systems.
How concentrated are production and trading patterns in the cut-flower supply chain?
Colombia cultivated more than 10,000 hectares for export in 2025, ahead of the Netherlands at 7,870 hectares and Ecuador at 7,467 hectares. The United States imported nearly 80% of flowers sold domestically.
How do trade costs and regulation affect exporters?
A 10% tariff imposed in April 2025 was estimated by USDA to add more than $200 million in annual sector costs. The sector also faces stricter sustainability, pesticide, traceability and labor requirements in major destination markets.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Flower Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/flower-industry-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Flower Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/flower-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Flower Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/flower-industry-statistics.

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