the operation during 2014 that were expected to be 
cut in 2015 and later years. Respondents were also 
asked to report the percentages of these trees that 
would be cut in future years. The number of 
Christmas trees that were expected to be cut in future 
years was calculated at the respondent level by 
multiplying the total number of trees on operations, 
January 1, 2015, by the percentages reported for 
each year. The calculated numbers were then 
summarized at the national and state levels. 
Cut Christmas trees. This includes data for acres 
of Christmas trees in production, number of trees 
sold, value of sales, number of trees on the operation 
on January 1, 2015, and the percent of trees on the 
operation on January 1, 2015 that will be cut and 
sold after 2014. Live balled and burlapped and 
container-grown Christmas trees were reported as 
nursery plants. 
Only operations that reported cut Christmas trees 
sold were summarized in tables containing value of 
sales for cut Christmas trees. Operations that only 
reported area in production and trees on operation 
January 1, 2015 were summarized in tables 
containing area in production and trees on operation. 
Cut cultivated greens. Cut cultivated greens are 
grown as filler and foliage for cut flower 
arrangements. Greens harvested from the wild and 
not cultivated were excluded. Cut cultivated greens 
are published as bunches, vines, stems, leaves, or 
pounds based on plant type. 
Cut flowers. Primarily grown for their blossoms, 
several crops of cut flowers can be produced from 
the same area each year. After the flower is cut, the 
plant is either discarded or used for the production of 
more flowers, depending on the variety of the plant. 
Cut flowers are published as bunches, blooms, 
stems, spikes, heads, strands, blossoms, or sprays 
based on plant type. 
Cuttings, plug seedlings, liners, tissue cultured 
plantlets, and prefinished plants. See Propagative 
horticultural materials, bareroot, and unfinished 
plants. 
Dried bulbs, corms, rhizomes, or tubers. This 
includes the production of dry corms, tubers, 
B - 4 Appendix B 
rhizomes, tuberous roots, and “true” bulbs grown for 
sale to bulb forcers and gardeners. 
Dried flowers. The number of dried flowers sold 
was not collected because no single commonly 
accepted unit of measure is available. 
Flats. For this publication, a flat is defined as 1 1" x 
22." Report form responses with other dimensions 
were converted to this standard unit. 
Flower seed production. This item includes data 
for flower seeds produced under protection or in the 
open. 
Foliage plants for indoor or patio use. Foliage 
plants are produced for their decorative shape, size, 
color, and stem and leaf characteristics, and are used 
for interior decoration, interior landscaping, or patio 
decoration. They are usually sold in pots or hanging 
baskets. The data are published as pots or baskets. 
Food crops grown under protection. Area, 
production, and sales data were collected only for 
food crops such as vegetables, melons, strawberries, 
and sprouts, grown under glass or other protection. 
Food crops grown hydroponically, i.e., in nutrient 
solutions without soil, are included. The production 
from hydroponic systems was calculated at the 
respondent level by multiplying the total production 
from each crop by the percentages reported for 
production from hydroponic systems. The calculated 
numbers were then summarized at the national and 
state levels. 
Food crops grown outdoors were not included within 
the scope of the horticultural specialty census. Food 
crops temporarily covered for early germination, 
frost protection, or other unusual situations were 
excluded. Vegetable plants grown under protection 
for home gardens are included under bedding/garden 
plants. Strawberry plants grown under protection for 
home gardens are included under nursery plants. 
Ginger and heliconia. Data reported under the cut 
flowers section. The flowering ginger family, 
Zingiberaceae , is diverse, including some 47 genera 
and more than 1,000 species. Some of the more 
common genus names found in the nursery trade 
include Alpinia, Costus, Hedychium, and Zingiber 
(which includes the edible culinary ginger). 
2012 Census of Agriculture 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
