(Clockwise from top left) Poinsettias, Norfolk Island pines, Holiday Cacti, and Cyclamen in holiday displays | W. G. Owen, OSU
For greenhouse growers that work with holiday and seasonal plants, the current season is a critical period of revenue. Therefore, it’s paramount to not only properly protect your holiday products but also market them well to attract customers and maximize sales. So, in the current market with increased competition from major retailers, how should small and independent businesses achieve this feat? W. Garrett Owen of The Ohio State University tackles this topic in a recent e-Gro Alert.
Presenting Diverse Poinsettia Options
Poinsettias, as Owen puts it, are the “quintessential holiday plant.” Therefore, they’re the top priority for many consumers and customers during the holiday shopping season. To better market poinsettias to a wider audience, Owen recommends:
- Grouping poinsettias by color to maximize visual impact.
- Marketing poinsettia topiary trees as smaller, more affordable, and more colorful alternatives to traditional Christmas trees.
- Offering poinsettias in small containers for customers with limited space.
- Utilizing hanging basket poinsettias to create aerial attractions and to save floor space.
Additional Holiday Plants to Consider for Your Catalog
While poinsettias are the top option for many on the lookout for holiday plants, they’re not the only option that businesses can offer to potential customers. There are many flowers and plants that perfectly match the season with additional color and size variations not available with poinsettias. Additionally, incorporating these into displays can better attract the eye of browsing consumers, especially if poinsettia supplies run low.
Holiday plant options that Owen suggests include:
- Amaryllis: Can be marketed as bulb kits or fully potted plants, allowing customers to “grow their own” or take home a “ready-to-bloom” option, respectively.
- Cyclamens: With green and silvery foliage that match the season, along with a variety of flower color options, cyclamens offer long-lasting blooms throughout the holidays.
- Holiday cacti: Also popular among the holidays of Easter and Thanksgiving, the Holiday or Christmas cacti are low-maintenance options that pair with seasonal light and weather.
- Paperwhites: These flowering bulbs provide striking winter color for indoors.
Additional options to consider for either sale or seasonal decoration to provide diverse options and complementary plants include:
- Bromeliads
- Caladiums
- Crotons
- English ivy
- Ferns
- Florist mums
- Kalanchoe
- Lemon cypress
- Miniature roses
- Norfolk Island pines
- Orchids
- Pothos
- Rosemary topiaries
- Spider plants
- Succulents
According to Owen, “The key to successful holiday plant merchandising is creating mixed displays that combine various plants. This approach not only showcases the versatility of different plant materials but also inspires customers and potentially increases sales of multiple items.” Therefore, it’s a good idea to experiment with different combinations to see what catches customers’ eyes, as well as what highlights each unique characteristic of the plants on display.
For a lot of additional information regarding the optimization of marketing for greenhouse growers during the holiday season, please read the full e-Gro (Electronic Grower Resources Online) Alert “Maximizing Holiday Sales: Innovative Display Strategies for Seasonal Plants and Décor.” Additional and current e-Gro alert pieces from Volume 13 (2024) can be found online.
