Aalsmeer, May 8, 2025 - Mother's Day is traditionally a peak time in the floriculture sector. Not surprising, because recent research by the Flower Council of Holland shows that 7 out of 10 people are happy with flowers or see them as a mood maker in their home. The sales figures at Royal FloraHolland for the first three days of Mother's Day week show that the demand for flowers and plants in the run-up to Mother's Day is higher than last year. It involves nearly 180 million flowers and plants. Figures from the past ten years also show a sharp decline in the use of plant protection products against diseases and pests.
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Global decline in the use of plant protection products

To offer the best quality flowers and plants, growers protect their flowers and plants against diseases and pests with plant protection products. They only do this when necessary and as little as possible. Worldwide, growers of cut flowers are now using 35% fewer agents (kg of active substance per hectare) than ten years ago, and the proportion of the most environmentally harmful products has fallen sharply. For example, the use of the most environmentally harmful ('red') active substances even fell by 78%. A similar trend is visible among potted plants: a decrease of 29% in total and a whopping 79% decline in the most environmentally harmful active substances. Dutch growers of potted plants have even reduced the use of the most environmentally harmful products by 96% since 2015 and of cut flowers by 88%. This is evident from recent figures from MPS, a foundation that promotes and keeps track of the international sustainability of floriculture.
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Sector is rapidly developing more sustainable cultivation methods

The floriculture sector's transition to more sustainable cultivation methods is underway. Examples include the use of biological control agents, the use of insect screens (e.g. window netting or covering crops), but also the use of robotization and breeding (stronger varieties) so that plants and flowers are better able to cope with diseases and pests.
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Sales figures underline a positive trend

In the run-up to Mother's Day 2025, almost 155 million flowers and around 25 million houseplants and garden plants were traded up to and including Wednesday. In addition, Thursday and Friday sales (Source Royal FloraHolland). On the floral side, the colors pink and white are favorites as Mother's Day gifts. The top 5 most popular Mother's Day flowers are: 1. Rose 2. Chrysanthemum (cluster) 3. Gerbera 4. Tulip 5. Peony. The top 5 most popular plants at the moment are: 1. Phalaenopsis (type of orchid) 2. Rose (pot) 3. Kalanchoe (succulent) 4. Pelargonium (type of geranium) 5. Osteospermum (type of daisy).
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Transition in full swing‍

Royal FloraHolland, Greenhouse Horticulture Netherlands and the Flower Council of Holland, together with MPS, are presenting these figures on the decline of plant protection products in floriculture for the first time.

”It is encouraging to see that the overall use of plant protection products is declining. Fortunately, the proportion of substances that are most harmful to the environment is specifically declining very sharply. Growers are using more and more preventive solutions and are using biological pest control. This trend is seen worldwide and is due to legislation as well as market requirements and the intrinsic motivation of many growers to deliver an increasingly sustainable product.”  Daan de Vries, MPS CEO.

Pieter Bootsma, CEO of Royal FloraHolland. “A bouquet provides joy, connection and a positive feeling. The sector is becoming increasingly transparent, partly thanks to certification. This allows us to demonstrate that important steps are being taken in the field of sustainability. In addition to certification, we also work on product footprinting, an environmental footprint per flower or plant. Royal FloraHolland, together with Wageningen University, is one of the founders of this FloriPEFCR, which makes more insight into the environmental impact available.”

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