Floriculture production that year covered about 656 million square feet of land under protective cover and 61,000 acres of open-field land. Most foliage and flowering plants are sold in containers. However, some are grown in-ground for a period of time before they are transplanted into containers. The extent of in- ground production depends on the climate and the type of floriculture crop. Among the floriculture groupings, cut flowers and cut greens are the most likely plants to be grown in-ground for an entire life cycle.
Bedding plants are at times grown in the open field for the entire production cycle.
Some field-grown foliage plants and potted flowering plants are grown in the ground for a period of time and then transplanted into containers. Examples of field-grown cut flowers are cut snap dragons, stock, orchids, and gladioli, while cut cultivated greens include cut leatherleaf ferns and chamaedorea. U.S. retail purchases of floriculture plants have risen almost consistently since 1986. The demand for floriculture products, especially the demand for cut flowers, is highly seasonal. Sales are greatest from February through May, and during the fall, and lightest during the summer.