Over the past decade, the area dedicated to ornamental plants and flowers in Italy has generally shown a declining trend. From 2014 to 2023, the area shrank from 9.42 to 6.71 thousand hectares. Specifically, there was a significant drop in 2020 with a year-on-year decline of 19.37%, likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent data from 2023 shows a minor decrease with a year-on-year drop of 0.3%. This aligns with a 5-year CAGR of -4.26% highlighting an average annual decrease. Forecasts from 2024 to 2028 indicate a fairly stable outlook with a minimal forecasted 5-year CAGR of -0.09% and a forecasted growth rate of -0.45%.

Future trends to watch for:

Potential impacts of climate change on ornamental plant cultivation.
Shifts in consumer preferences towards sustainable and eco-friendly plants.
The influence of technological advancements in agriculture on cultivation practices.