Edible plants (vegetable and herb bedding plants) accounted for 4.1% of sales. Decorative tropical foliage plants (interior plantscaping and houseplants) were at 6.1%. Flowering potted plants were at 7.0%. Other highlights of the report.
The Pacific ($1.11 billion) and Southeast ($1.06 billion) regions reported the highest annual sales of nursery products, led by California ($841 million) and Florida ($698 million).
The leading plant type produced by U.S. nurseries was deciduous and flowering trees, representing 11.8 percent of total industry sales. Flowering annual bedding plants came in at 9.8 percent, flowering potted plants was at 7 percent and herbaceous perennials accounted for 5.3 percent of total industry sales.
Three professors at Texas A&M University recently published an updated study of U.S. nursery industry sales and marketing practices, which shows an industry heavy on small businesses.
More than 3,000 firms answered questions from professors Charlie Hall, Alan Hodges and Marco Palma about their green industry businesses. The results show more than 50 percent of those who responded were firms with less than $250,000 in annual sales. Only 17 percent had sales of $1 million or greater, including 2.2 percent of firms with sales totaling between $10 million and $49 million.
All told, respondents reported a collective total of $4.45 billion in sales for 2008, or an average of $1.73 million per firm. They collectively employed more than 48,800 permanent and temporary workers.
Based on an adjusted population of validated active firms, total U.S. nursery industry sales (representing all facets of nursery from supplier to retail) was estimated at $27 billion.
Other interesting statistics from the study:
• The average number of employees per nursery firm was 11.5 permanent and nine temporary.
• The Pacific ($1.11 billion) and Southeast ($1.06 billion) regions reported the highest annual sales of nursery products, led by California ($841 million) and Florida ($698 million).
• The leading plant type produced by U.S. nurseries was deciduous and flowering trees, representing 11.8 percent of total industry sales. Flowering annual bedding plants came in at 9.8 percent, flowering potted plants was at 7 percent and herbaceous perennials accounted for 5.3 percent of total industry sales.
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