A M E R I CA N H O U S E PL A N T S
Houseplant purchasing study reveals multiple opportunities for the industry A US consumer houseplant purchasing study, coordinated by the country’s Floral Marketing Fund, has shown that houseplants make people happier. Houseplant sales in the US have increased in each of the survey’s ten categories, with consumers generally willing to pay a premium for a
AUTHOR: RACHEL ANDERSON. PHOTOS: FLOWER COUNCIL OF HOLL AND, NILS VAN HOUTS AND CORN BAK.
quality houseplant.
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study on the United States’ consumer purchasing trends for houseplants has empirically confirmed the ‘feel good factor’ of these
products. The survey, sponsored by the country’s horticulture industry, generated an overwhelming result in which more than 70 per cent of the 1,700 houseplant purchasers that were interviewed either “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that “houseplants make you happier.” Dr Melinda Knuth, assistant professor at North Carolina State University, said: “This directly shows, with empirical evidence, that houseplants can make [people] happier, which could be one of the reasons why these purchasers are engaging more with houseplants after 2020 and why they’ll continue with houseplants in future.”
HOUSEPLANTS’ APPEAL IS DIVERSE The survey also found varied demographics amongst the different purchasers – suggesting that houseplants’ appeal is diverse. Some 75 per cent of those surveyed admitted to buying houseplants for themselves – up from just 12 per cent during 2019 (pre-pandemic). Consumers demonstrated that they enjoy looking after their purchases, with 31 per cent of respondents now spending more time caring for their plants than in previous years. They are buying them specifically to care for and nurture them. They are also buying houseplants “just because” (meaning that they have no specific reason for buying them) and for occasions such as hosting guests. The living room and the bedroom are
FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL FEBRUARY 2022
the most popular place where people place their houseplants. Furthermore, in 2021, the respondents were more likely to gift someone with a “get well” houseplant, with 75 per cent of participants likely to give a houseplant as a gift in 2021 versus 12 per cent in 2019.
SALES INCREASE ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that the data also showed that houseplant sales in the US have increased in each of the survey’s ten categories. These categories included flowering plants, narrow-leafed foliage, broad-leafed foliage, ferns, indoor palms, trailing or climbing plants, bromeliads, succulents, cacti, and air plants. The top three categories were broadleaf foliage (35 per cent), flowering plants (41 per cent) and succulents (35 per cent). Bromeliads and indoor palms had the most average spending per year – being $111 and $112 respectively.
ONLINE VERSUS IN-STORE During 2020, most purchasers were comfortable buying plants online or over the phone and, in 2021, some 40 per cent of those surveyed still preferred to buy them online. But nearly half of the interviewed consumers would currently instead buy plants in-store, with “convenience of location” being the biggest reason for their outlet preference. This decision could be, for instance, their local supermarket, independent garden centre, or hardware store.
It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that the data also showed that houseplant sales in the US have increased in each of the survey’s ten categories
