Are orchids the most popular flowering plant?

[AndreaM]

Hello,

Hi I just wanted to introduce myself and wanted to be part of the community. I wanted to post a topic for discussion. All are welcome to participate. Question: Are orchids the most popular flowering plant? Does anybody know of any articles that talks about this. I think the orchid is now the most popular flowering plant, do you?

Andrea Molina
1888Orchids.com - Orchid Plants and Cut Orchid Flowers.

Thank you for all your replies, they are much appriciated! This is great! Keep them coming!

[kiki-do]

Hi Andrea, Welcome!
I don't have the correct answer for you, but I would guess that it depended on the area where you lived. I live in Maine and orchids are not the most popular flowering plant here. Not really sure what is, but most people consider me an odd duck to have so many orchids. (Many people have way more than I do here in Maine)....but I would say most people avoid growing orchids because they are so tropical and people think they are hard to grow.....which most are not at all.
Just putting in my and saying "hello!"
kiki

[tuvoc]

Hi Andrea and welcome aboard. Many sources and polls say that orchids are becoming the one of the most popular flowering plants today. What just kills most of us here is that they are considered disposable ornamentals by a lot of growers and retailers. I know, I have rescued too many from friends that have thrown them out after they have bloomed. The horror! Anyway, have fun here at OB.

Kim

[Becca]

Hi Andrea and welcome to the OB! To answer your question, orchids are the most popular flowering plant.....among us! Anyways, I, like kiki-do, am considered the odd duck as well out of the people I know. When I first told my friends that I had bough an orchidarium, they and their hubby's all said at once...."a what?" and then looked at me like I was on drugs....lol. To each their own is what I say!

[Phantasm]

It depends on where you ask the question:

Google Answers: Top Flowers in US and Canada

These are the results for US and Canada.

[Frdemetr]

Hi Andrea,

I read sometime ago (I don't remember where...) that orchids are the second most "collectibles" in the world (after stamps), but I don't think orchids are the most popular flowering plants....in Brazil saintpaulias and roses are much more popular (amongst flowering plants; ferns are very popular too)

[Dorothy]

I found this -
"According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Floriculture Crops Survey for the year 2005, compiled by the National Agricultural Statistics Survey, orchids are growing in popularity in the United States. Currently second in potted flowering plant sales with a wholesale value of nearly $144 million, orchid sales increased by approximately 12 percent this past year. This is the highest percentage increase of all the potted flowering plants in the category. Orchids are second in sales behind poinsettias, which experienced a two percent decrease with more than $242 million in sales, and they are significantly ahead of third-ranked chrysanthemums, which increased slightly to $69 million in sales."
From Orchid Popularity Growing,- The Flower Expert - Flowers Encyclopedia - Blog on Flowers, Flower blog, Free Flower Blog, Blogging on Flowers, Flower Blog Site, Create blog, Blog definition
Again these are numbers taken from 2005 ..

The AOS echoes this with sales figures a bit higher that what is stated above ... American Orchid Society - About Us

[Djarum Black]

Welcome to the board!

And in answer to your question, my two cents answer would be yes. Just from a history standpoint, I would say orchids have been the most popular, if not most desired plant in the world.

I did several studies while working on a paper for conservation in college that took me through the wide and strange history many orchids have.

People have killed for them; gone to jail for them, stolen for them, and even paid any price to eat them.
Also, for the longest time some counties even banned certain types of people from owning them for one reason or another.
I cannot think of any other flowering plant that has been so admired, respected and coveted!

[quiltergal]

I read somewhere (can't remember where offhand) that orchids are the number two selling flowering houseplant. Poinsettias are number one.

[camille1585]

In the Netherlands phals are definately the most popular plant! Go down any street and you will see a couple phals in nearly all the windows. I think it's because there are so darned cheap here. Most of Europe's major phal producers are in the Netherlands.Supermarkets sell them at on 3-4€, so people buy some, watch them bloom, toss them and then buy new ones.

And in France, well, they are no where near the top ten most popular plants! They are a bit too expensive. But their popularity is rising though, as prices go down.