Why Indoor Plant Sales Will Remain Strong in 2021
April 13, 2021 
Blooming potted plants were in high demand as the pandemic kept more people at home. PanAmerican Seed saw a lot of interest in its new ColorBloom gerbera in 2020 because it doesn’t take up much space, and makes a bright and cheery impact.
Photo courtesy of PanAmerican Seed
It’s no surprise there’s more interest in making houses a more desirable place to be this past year. Claire Josephson, Marketing Manager for PanAmerican Seed, says this can be as simple as greening up your space. Foliage plants are great for adding green, but indoor blooming potted plants bring the intense color pops we love to brighten our days.
Most can agree that hydrangeas, cyclamen, kalanchoe, and orchids have all seen an increase in popularity in 2020, and it is only expected to continue into 2021.
“This year, we also anticipate that gardenias, hydrangeas, calla lilies, and rose plants will be the most popular varieties,” says Alfred Palomares, Vice President of Merchandising at 1-800-Flowers.com.
Consumers are using blooming plants for self-care, home décor, and socially distant gifting. Plants provide benefits like purifying the air, improving a sense of well-being, increasing productivity, and more.
Consumers are using blooming plants such as these Heavenly Hyacinth bulbs for self-care, home décor, and socially distant gifting. Photo courtesy of 1-800-Flowers.com
“Customers have embraced these attributes even more throughout the health crisis,” Palomares says. “We are also seeing customers surprise friends and loved ones with blooming plants when birthday celebrations can’t take place in person, or to let them know they are thinking of them.”
PanAmerican Seed noticed consumers branching out in their choice and quantity of indoor plants in 2020. Accessorizing with plants can fulfill that desire to have something else in our lives.
“For these consumers, color is important,” Josephson says. “It lifts the spirits with bright, cheery flowers.”
Easter and Mother’s Day are also large drivers of hydrangeas as gifts.
“Great innovations in breeding colors and new plant habits, plus the use of self-watering pots, make these plants more appealing to customers,” says Joan Mazat, New Product Development Manager for Ball Seed.
Online plant sales are high, and there’s an increase in the indoor plant market overall. With COVID-19 restrictions, people are home and can spend time tending to plants and are more likely to impulse-buy for something cheerful, according to Kelsey Minalga, Product Manager for Ball Ingenuity. People want something fun or unique that hasn’t been on the market for a few years. Indoor blooming plants with bright, tropical colors and textures is what’s trending right now.
Shane Pliska, owner of Planterra, watched the demand quickly shift for traditional interior landscaping firms everywhere. Planterra’s services offered to high-end residential accounts increased during the pandemic, which included blooming plants.
“The result was that we needed fewer Guzmania bromeliads and more unusual bromeliads and super premium orchids,” Pliska says.
Monrovia is keeping a watch on breeding efforts in extended bloom times, so consumers can keep their plants in flower longer. ‘Captain’ Calla Lily is a great example of modern breeding focused on extended shelf life, more flowers per plant, and vibrant colors.
“Consumer demand for indoor plants is increasing rapidly,” says Georgia Clay, New Plants Manager at Monrovia. “We are seeing an increased demand for indoor edibles like lavender and also plants with unique and vibrant flowers and/or foliage colors.”
“Blooms that last two weeks to a month-plus are ideal for interior landscape designers,” Pliska adds. “This is why the Calandiva has made it into so many design specifications for commercial applications.”
PanAmerican Seed saw lots of interest in its new ColorBloom Gerbera in 2020. It’s perfect for office desks or side tables because it doesn’t take up much space but makes a bright and cheery impact.
For Ball Ingenuity, two newcomers to the hydrangea market really piqued growers’ interest in 2020: ‘Sarena Blue’ and ‘Sarena Pink’. The traditional flower head size and pink and blue colors, but with outstanding upgrades in breeding, result in stronger plants and more flowers per plant.
“These will continue to be very prominent in 2021 and beyond,” Mazat predicts.
Ball Ingenuity’s Serena hydrangea has a traditional flower head size and pink and blue (pictured) colors, but with outstanding upgrades in breeding.
Photo courtesy of Ball Ingenuity
People were also gravitating toward plants with different-looking foliage structure and heading back to some of the classics like cyclamen, Christmas or Thanksgiving Cactus, and peace lilies recently.
“It’s hard to pick just one hot-seller,” says Terry Talsma from Syngenta Flowers, “but kalanchoes and begonias will be popular for sure, as well as mixed blooming and foliage planters.”
With the current environmental factors, Talsma says any quality blooming indoor plant at retail will draw more attention than ever.
“Blooming potted plants are sources of inspiration and beauty in the households, where we are now spending more time than usual,” Talsma says. “As an industry, we can hope that attention to the floral category will continue for a very long time.”
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