What types of plants are produced by nurseries?

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Nurseries are specialized facilities dedicated to the cultivation and establishment of young plants for transplanting, stock propagation, or sale. While the industry primarily focuses on ornamental varieties, it encompasses a diverse range of plant types:12

  • Ornamental Plants: This is the largest segment of the nursery trade, featuring a wide variety of trees and shrubs. Key categories include coniferous evergreens (e.g., yew, juniper), broad-leaved evergreens (e.g., rhododendron, holly), and deciduous plants (e.g., forsythia, lilac). The rose remains the most significant single plant grown for outdoor cultivation.123
  • Bulb Crops: Nurseries produce various ornamental bulbous plants, including true bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes, and swollen roots.12
  • Edible Plants: The business also includes fruit plants and certain perennial vegetables commonly used in home gardens, such as asparagus and rhubarb.12
  • Native Plants: Some nurseries focus on the propagation of native species specifically for ecological restoration projects.1