• Knuth, M., Woods, V., Hall, C., & Palma, M. (2023). Elements of Style in Floral Arrangements: How Discerning Are Consumers Toward Floristry Design Principles and How Much Are They Willing to Pay? HortScience, 58(12), 1560-1567.
  • This article examines how consumers perceive and value different elements of floral design, revealing that people are most willing to pay for arrangements featuring roses, symmetry, and related color combinations, rather than strictly following traditional design principles. The findings highlight that consumer preferences do not always align with conventional floristry theory.
• Woods, V., & Knuth, M. (2023). The Biophilia Reactivity Hypothesis: biophilia as a temperament trait, or more precisely, a domain specific attraction to biodiversity. Journal of Bioeconomics, 1-23.
  • This article critically reviews E.O. Wilson’s original biophilia hypothesis. It introduces the Biophilia Reactivity Hypothesis, proposing that biophilia is best understood as a temperament trait reflecting a domain-specific attraction to biodiversity, rather than a universal human trait or a general attraction to “nature.” The paper outlines a framework to make biophilia a testable and falsifiable hypothesis, with implications for research, conservation, and human flourishing.
• Hopkins, K. A., Hall, C. R., Arnold, M. A., Palma, M. A., Knuth, M., & Pemberton, B. (2022). Consumer Preferences of Ratibida columnifera (Nutt.) Wooton & Standl. Floral Characteristics. HortScience, 57(3), 431-440.
  • This article presents a consumer preference study on Ratibida columnifera (prairie coneflower) floral characteristics using conjoint analysis. The research revealed that petal color was the most important attribute in consumer decision-making, followed by price, petal shape, and petal number, with bicolor and red flowers being the most preferred. These findings can help guide plant breeders in developing new R. columnifera varieties that will better resonate with consumers in the marketplace. 
• Behe, B. K., Knuth, M. J., Rihn, A., & Hall, C. R. (2022). Plant Novices and Experts Differ in Their Value of Plant Type, Price, and Perceived Availability. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 40(3), 116-122.
  • This research study investigated the differences between plant experts and novices, and their plant purchasing preferences and behaviors. The findings revealed that plant experts spent nearly twice as much on plants, bought more plants but from fewer plant categories, valued rare plants more than novices, and considered plant type the most important factor in their purchasing decisions. 
• Knuth, M. J., Wu, X., Hall, C. R., & Palma, M. A. (2022, August). Exploring the market penetration of floral arrangements using second-price and double auctions. In XXXI International Horticultural Congress (IHC2022): International Symposium on Innovations in Ornamentals: from Breeding to 1368 (pp. 185-194).
  • This study investigated consumer valuation of floral arrangements using second-price and double auctions with 124 participants to determine how consumers value bouquets compared to actual market prices. Results showed that most consumers significantly undervalued the bouquets, with average bids of $5.51 in the second-price auction and $4.38 in the double auction for a bouquet typically retailing at $15-20. The researchers concluded that floral businesses should focus on enhancing value propositions beyond price through education and marketing to increase market penetration rather than competing solely on price.
• Rihn, A. L., Knuth, M. J., Peterson, B. J., Torres, A. P., Campbell, J. H., Boyer, C. R., … & Khachatryan, H. (2022). Investigating Drivers of Native Plant Production in the United States Green Industry. Sustainability, 14(11), 6774.
  • This study investigates the factors that influence commercial native plant production and sales in the U.S. green industry, revealing that firms selling native plants implement more integrated pest management strategies, produce a more diverse array of plants, and utilize more sales avenues than non-native plant firms. Native plant firms were more likely to employ specific IPM practices like removing infested plants, circulating air, using beneficial insects, managing irrigation, and planting pest-resistant varieties. Understanding these production practices can help identify successful strategies for increasing native plant availability in the marketplace, which supports sustainable landscapes by enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Kee, J., Knuth, M., Lahey, J. N., & Palma, M. A. (2021). Does eye-tracking have an effect on economic behavior? Plos one, 16(8), e0254867. 
  • This study examined whether eye-tracking equipment causes changes in participant behavior across eight popular economic games, finding no significant differences in seven of the games between participants who were eye-tracked and those who weren’t. Only in the Holt and Laury risk task did eye-tracked participants show more risk-averse behavior during the first five rounds, but this effect disappeared when participants with poor eye-tracking data quality were removed from the analysis. The results suggest that researchers can incorporate eye-tracking in laboratory experiments without inducing changes in participants’ economic behavior, particularly after removing observations with low eye-tracking data quality.
• Knuth, M. J., Hall, C. R., & Palma, M. A. (2021). Increasing profit margins by substituting species in floral arrangements. HortTechnology, 31(1), 19-26.
  • This research study evaluated whether consumers can distinguish between high-cost and low-cost flower species in floral arrangements and investigated preferences for different flower symmetry types. The results showed no difference in both willingness to pay and attractiveness ratings between arrangements with high-value flowers versus those with similar-looking but less expensive substitutes, suggesting florists can strategically substitute lower-cost flowers to increase profit margins without affecting consumer perception. Regarding flower symmetry, radial flowers (like roses) were rated most appealing, followed by asymmetrical flowers, and lastly, bilateral flowers, providing valuable insights for floral designers when selecting species for arrangements.
• Zhang, X., Khachatryan, H., & Knuth, M. (2021). Relating Knowledge and Perception of Sustainable Landscape Practices to the Adoption Intention of Environmentally Friendly Landscapes. Sustainability, 13(24), 14070.
  • This study examines how homeowners’ knowledge and perception of sustainable landscapes influence their adoption intentions of environmentally friendly landscaping practices in Florida. The researchers found that homeowners who were more knowledgeable about sustainable landscaping (particularly regarding soil types and landscaping for wildlife) and those with more positive perceptions of landscape conservation practices were significantly more likely to adopt sustainable landscapes. The findings suggest that educational programs that create awareness and transfer knowledge about sustainable landscape practices can effectively encourage adoption, especially when combined with making Florida Friendly landscapes visible to help homeowners understand what they look like.
• Knuth, M. J., Khachatryan, H., & Hall, C. R. (2021). How consistent are consumers in their decisions? Investigation of houseplant purchasing. Behavioral Sciences, 11(5), 73.
  • This study examines the impact of intrinsic consumer attributes on decision consistency in houseplant purchasing intentions, finding that inconsistent purchase decisions occur more frequently at perceived “getting expensive” price points than at “bargain” prices. The research reveals surprisingly few demographic differences between consistent and inconsistent plant buyers, suggesting that external environmental cues may influence purchase consistency more than intrinsic factors. These findings can help greenhouse and retail firms optimize their pricing strategies and better understand when consumers are less likely to change their plant purchase decisions, particularly for those with initially high purchase intent.
• Knuth, M. J., Khachatryan, H., Hall, C. R., Palma, M. A., Hodges, A. W., Torres, A. P., & Brumfield, R. G. (2021). Trade flows within the United States nursery industry in 2018. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 39(2), 77-90.
  • This study analyzed regional trade flows within the U.S. nursery industry, comparing 2018 data with previous surveys from 2008 and 2013 to track changes in sales patterns within and between eight U.S. regions. The results show most trade occurred intra-regionally (74.4% of total sales), with considerable changes in both intra-state and inter-regional trade flows from 2013 to 2018, including increased international sales from most regions and decreased within-region sales for all regions except Southcentral. These findings provide valuable geographic demand trend information to help industry members develop strategic decisions about emerging or evolving markets.
• Behe, B. K., Knuth, M. J., Huddleston, P. T., & Hall, C. R. (2020). Seeing red? The role of font color, size, and sale sign location in retail garden center displays. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 38(4), 120-127.
  • This study investigated the role of font color, size, and sale sign location in retail garden center displays, finding that plant type had the greatest influence (45%) on purchase likelihood, followed by price (23.8%), and then sale font size, color, and location. Results revealed a synergistic effect between these factors, indicating that when red fonts were used for the word “sale,” they should be larger than other font sizes and placed to the right in the display, as consumers appeared to “read” displays from left to right with red font having greater attention-grabbing power on the right side. These findings can help garden center retailers optimize their signage for maximum impact on consumer purchasing behavior.
• Knuth, M. J., Behe, B. K., Huddleston, P. T., Hall, C. R., Fernandez, R. T., & Khachatryan, H. (2020). Water conserving message influences purchasing decision of consumers. Water, 12(12), 3487.
  • This study examines how water conservation messaging in retail displays affects consumer purchasing decisions for plants, finding that water-related messaging plays a positive role in purchase intentions, especially for residents of drought-prone states compared to those with little drought experience. The research reveals that plant type was the most important attribute influencing purchases (30.4%), followed by plant guarantee (27.4%), water message (22.9%), and price (19.4%), with consumers preferring plants that need no irrigation after establishment. These findings suggest that green industry stakeholders should consider their region’s drought history and incorporate water conservation messaging in retail displays to positively influence consumer purchasing decisions.
• Knuth, M., Behe, B. K., & Huddleston, P. T. (2020). Simple or complex? Consumer response to display signs. Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, 4(2), 7-22.
  • The article “Simple or complex: An exploration of the relative power of simple and complex models in social work research” examines the effectiveness of simple versus complex statistical models in social work research, exploring how model selection impacts research outcomes and practical applications.
• Knuth, M., Behe, B. K., Hall, C. R., Huddleston, P. T., & Fernandez, R. T. (2019). Sit back or dig in: the role of activity level in landscape market segmentation. HortScience, 54(10), 1818-1823.
  • This study examines the factors that influence consumer landscape activities, identifying two distinct market segments: an “Active Engagement” cluster that actively participates in and enjoys landscaping and an “Obligatory Passive Engagement” cluster that views landscaping as a necessary obligation. The Active cluster purchased 2.5 times more plant-related products, demonstrated greater landscape pride and desire for low-water input landscapes, and came from households with higher incomes, more education, slightly larger size, and more Caucasian residents compared to the Passive cluster. These findings suggest that retail employees and landscape professionals could initially ask about consumers’ desired activity level as a screening question, then tailor subsequent assistance in design and plant selection according to whether customers seek active engagement or merely wish to fulfill basic landscape obligations.
• Hall, C., & Knuth, M. (2019). An update of the literature supporting the well-being benefits of plants: A review of the emotional and mental health benefits of plants. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 37(1), 30-38.
  • This article reviews the substantial body of research on the emotional and mental health benefits of plants, covering how exposure to plants and green spaces reduces anxiety and stress, aids attention deficit recovery, decreases depression, enhances memory retention, increases happiness, mitigates PTSD, boosts creativity, improves productivity, reduces effects of dementia, and enhances self-esteem. The research demonstrates that plants positively influence quality of life dimensions including social, physical, psychological, cognitive, environmental, and spiritual well-being, with particular emphasis on emotional and mental health benefits. The authors suggest that green industry firms should incorporate these research-backed benefits into their marketing messages to highlight the quality of life value proposition, helping consumers perceive plants as necessities rather than luxuries, which could maintain relevance and drive demand even during economic downturns.
• Hall, C. R., & Knuth, M. J. (2019). An update of the literature supporting the well-being benefits of plants: Part 2 physiological health benefits. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 37(2), 63-73.
  • This article provides a comprehensive review of research on the physiological health benefits associated with plants, including better sleep, increased birthweights, decreased diabetes, decreased ocular discomfort, enhanced immunity, improved circadian functioning, improved rehabilitation, decreased cardiovascular and respiratory disease, decreased mortality, improved digestion, decreased allergies, increased physical activity, and improved cognitive development. These research findings should be strategically incorporated into both industry-wide and firm-specific marketing messages that highlight the quality of life value proposition to maintain the industry’s relevance to residential landscape consumers. The green industry can play a pivotal role not only in providing high-quality plants for applications but also in educating stakeholders about these health benefits, helping municipal leaders and policymakers justify green infrastructure-related funding decisions and providing grounds for the construction industry to use biophilic design principles.
• Hall, C. R., & Knuth, M. J. (2019). An update of the literature supporting the well-being benefits of plants: part 3-social benefits. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 37(4), 136-142.
  • This article examines the social benefits of plants, highlighting how they contribute to place attachment, reduced crime, disaster resilience, access to locally-produced foods, child socialization, school performance, and community therapeutic impacts. The research shows that green spaces provide opportunities for social connections, with high-quality (well-maintained) areas supporting social cohesion, encouraging outdoor activities, and creating places where different ethnic groups can interact. These findings present evidence that municipal leaders and policymakers can use to justify green infrastructure funding decisions, while also providing grounds for the construction industry to incorporate biophilic design principles in ensuring the built environment offers opportunities for green space interactions.
• Hall, C. R., & Knuth, M. J. (2020). An Update of the Literature Supporting the Well-Being Benefits of Plants: Part 4–Available Resources and Usage of Plant Benefits Information. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 38(2), 68-72.
  • This article provides an overview of key resources available to green industry firms that document the health and well-being benefits of plants and improved landscapes, explaining how these benefits affect the quality of life through physiological, psychological, cognitive, and social well-being constructs. The authors detail various online repositories, research libraries, and organizations that serve as clearinghouses for plant benefits information, which can be strategically used by industry professionals in marketing and educational initiatives. By emphasizing these benefits in marketing messages rather than focusing solely on plant features, the green industry can position its products as necessities rather than luxuries, potentially making demand less elastic during economic downturns while helping persuade homeowners to purchase plants, aiding municipal leaders in justifying green infrastructure funding, and providing grounds for biophilic design in construction.
• Knuth, M., Behe, B. K., Hall, C. R., Huddleston, P. T., & Fernandez, R. T. (2019). Sit back or dig in: the role of activity level in landscape market segmentation. HortScience, 54(10), 1818-1823.
  • This study examines the relationship between consumers’ type and activity level with residential landscapes, identifying two distinct market segments: an “Active Engagement” cluster that actively participates in and enjoys landscaping and an “Obligatory Passive Engagement” cluster that views landscaping as a necessary obligation. The Active cluster purchased 2.5 times more plant-related products, demonstrated greater landscape pride and desire for low-water input landscapes, and came from households with higher incomes, more education, slightly larger size, and more Caucasian residents compared to the Passive cluster. Retail employees and landscape professionals could use this information by initially asking about consumers’ desired activity level as a screening question, then tailoring subsequent assistance in design and plant selection according to whether customers seek active engagement or merely wish to fulfill basic landscape obligations.
• Behe, B. K., Knuth, M., Hall, C. R., Huddleston, P. T., & Fernandez, R. T. (2018). Consumer involvement with and expertise in water conservation and plants affect landscape plant purchases, importance, and enjoyment. HortScience, 53(8), 1164-1171.
  • This study explores consumer involvement with and expertise in water conservation and plants, identifying two key market segments: those who are “Actively Interested in Water Conservation” (50.3%) and those who are “Disinterested in Water Conservation” (49.7%). The Actively Interested segment was younger, had more adults and children in the household, higher income, and scored higher on water conservation involvement, expertise, importance, and impact, as well as plant expertise and involvement, landscaping importance, and spent 91% more on plant-related products compared to the Disinterested segment. These findings suggest that green industry marketers should focus on educating consumers about low-water use cultivars and water-conserving behaviors rather than convincing them of the importance of plants and landscaping, as pro-water-conserving attitudes appear compatible with valuing outdoor landscapes and higher plant expenditures.
• Knuth, M., Behe, B. K., Hall, C. R., Huddleston, P. T., & Fernandez, R. T. (2018). Consumer perceptions, attitudes, and purchase behavior with landscape plants during real and perceived drought periods. HortScience, 53(1), 49-54.
  • This research study explores how consumer perceptions, attitudes, and purchasing behaviors regarding landscape plants are affected during real and perceived drought conditions. The study found that attitudes and behaviors differed significantly between those who correctly perceived they were in a drought and those who did not, as well as those who incorrectly perceived they were not in an actual drought. The research also explored demographic characteristics influencing water usage and conservation, finding that lower water users were often older, less educated, and had lower incomes. Additionally, the study touched on the importance of water conservation and its impact on the Green Industry, emphasizing the need to inform educational programs and marketing strategies to ensure the future demand for Green Industry products and services. 
• WFFSA B2B E-Commerce in the Floral Industry Final Report
  • This comprehensive report examines the current state of B2B e-commerce adoption across the floral industry supply chain, finding that while most businesses recognize its importance for future revenue growth, there are significant implementation barriers including lack of internal e-commerce skills and IT integration challenges. The study reveals that 82% of firms consider themselves omnichannel, though many aren’t utilizing available e-commerce data to support business decisions. Despite these challenges, businesses view e-commerce not as a threat but as an opportunity to expand their business models, generate additional revenue streams, and reach new audiences.
• Change and Disruption in the Floral Industry
  • This extensive report examines the major driving forces of change in the floral industry, including increased competition from supermarkets, the rise of e-commerce and direct-to-consumer channels, changing consumer demographics, and evolving wedding and funeral trends. The study analyzes each sector of the supply chain from growers to retailers, highlighting challenges such as industry fragmentation, lack of reliable data, and resistance to technological change. It concludes by identifying information gaps that require further research, including the event/studio florist segment, transportation logistics, and e-commerce market analysis. 

Google Scholar Articles:

• Knuth, M., Behe, B. K., Hall, C. R., Huddleston, P., & Fernandez, R. T. (2018). Consumer perceptions of landscape plant production water sources and uses in the landscape during perceived and real drought. HortTechnology, 28(1), 85-93.
  • This article examines consumer perceptions regarding landscape plants, water sources in plant production, and water needs in landscapes during drought conditions using a conjoint analysis. Research reveals that consumers place greater importance on water sources in production (preferring fresh water over recycled water) than on water use in landscapes, with differences in preferences observed between groups who correctly or incorrectly perceived drought conditions in their region. The findings suggest opportunities for educational and promotional efforts to improve perceptions of recycled water and the marketing of low-water-use plants in both adequate and drought water periods.
• Heagy, K., Schultheis, J. R., Birdsell, T., Knuth, M., & Ward, J. K. (2023).High-density planting and a smaller row width increased yield and decreased fruit size of pumpkins.  HortScience, 58(10), 1194-1200.
  • This research study examined how plant density and row width affect pumpkin yield and fruit size for ‘Kratos’ pumpkins grown in North Carolina. The researchers found that higher plant densities (up to 10,764 plants per hectare) increased overall fruit yield per area but decreased individual fruit size, while narrower row widths (1.5m vs 3.0m) produced larger fruits and higher yields per hectare. These findings provide specific plant spacing recommendations for North Carolina pumpkin growers to optimize production based on their market needs, whether prioritizing fruit quantity or size. 
• Rihn, A. L., Knuth, M. J., Behe, B. K., & Hall, C. R. (2023). Benefit information’s impact on ornamental plant value. Horticulturae, 9(7), 740.
  • When presented with different plant benefit information, this study investigates consumers’ willingness to pay for lavender plants. The research found that social, cognitive, emotional, and physical benefit information generated the highest premiums compared to economic benefits, with consumers willing to pay up to $6.75 more for plants displaying social benefit information. The findings suggest that green industry stakeholders should emphasize these higher-valued benefits in their marketing efforts to convey additional value to their products among U.S. consumers.
• Knuth, M. J., Behe, B. K., Rihn, A., & Hall, C. R. (2023). Effects of Benefits Messaging on Consumer Purchasing of Plants. HortScience, 58(5), 481-487.
  • This study explores how different plant benefit messages influence consumer purchasing behavior for plants. The researchers found that plant type was the most important factor in purchasing decisions (36.4%), followed by price (35.1%) and availability (28.4%), with consumers responding differently to various plant benefit messages (physical, emotional, cognitive, social, educational, environmental, financial, and aesthetic). While all consumer groups showed similar purchasing patterns overall, there were subtle differences between groups exposed to different benefit messages, suggesting these messages affect purchasing behavior in ways that warrant further research. 
• Knuth, M., Wei, X., Zhang, X., Khachatryan, H., Hodges, A., & Yue, C. (2023). Preferences for sustainable residential lawns in Florida: the case of irrigation and fertilization requirements. Agronomy, 13(2), 416.
  • This study examines Floridian homeowners’ preferences for turfgrass irrigation and fertilization requirements using latent class analysis. The research identified four consumer segments: high-input users (33%), irrigation-conscious users (27%), fertilizer-conscious users (23%), and moderate-input users (17%), with consumers who had greater knowledge about turfgrass needs more likely to prefer low-input options. These findings highlight the heterogeneous preferences among homeowners and suggest opportunities for targeted marketing and policy approaches to promote sustainable landscape practices in Florida.
• Rihn, A. L., Behe, B. K., Knuth, M., & Huddleston, P. (2024).Blooming Business: How Consumer Satisfaction Shapes Online Plant and Cut Flower Spending. HortTechnology, 34(4), 481-484.
  • This study investigates factors influencing online and in-store plant/flower spending, finding that consumers spent $31.86 more on plants/flowers through online retailers than in stores when satisfied with their online purchases. Social media use increased in-store plant/flower spending but not online spending while using Amazon, Google, and farm-direct online retailers increased both in-store and online plant/flower spending. Income positively influenced both online and in-store plant/flower spending, while other demographic characteristics had no significant impact.
• Fields, J. S., Nackley, L. L., Shreckhise, J. H., Bampasidou, M., Contreras, R., Kantrovich, A., Knuth, M., & White, S. A. (2024). How Natural Resources, Consumer Perceptions, and Labor Are Transforming the US Nursery Industry. HortTechnology, 34(4), 424-429.
  • This article explores the future challenges and transformations facing the US nursery industry, focusing on three key areas: natural resources, consumer perceptions, and labor issues. The authors discuss how issues such as water scarcity, changing consumer preferences for sustainable and native plants, and labor shortages are reshaping the industry. The nursery industry, which contributes significantly to the US economy with $13.8 billion in annual revenue, must adapt to these challenges through improved water management, specialized breeding programs, and increased automation to remain sustainable and profitable in the coming decade.
• Jenkins, E. B., Knuth, M. J., Hall, C. R., & Palma, M. A. (2023). Shifts in the American floriculture industry: insight from industry experts. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 41(4), 133-140.
  • This article analyzes shifts in the American floriculture industry through interviews with over 40 industry leaders from various sectors of the supply chain. Using Leximancer software to perform content analysis, researchers identified recurring themes including structural shifts in the industry, omnichannel development, and key future success factors. The findings reveal that despite the U.S. being the highest consumer of floriculture products globally, the industry operates in “silos” that hamper information sharing and adaptation to changes, suggesting that greater collaboration, adaptability, and consumer education are needed for future success in an industry approaching the mature stage of its lifecycle.
• Heagy, K., Knuth, M., Schultheis, J. R., Birdsell, T., & Ward, J. (2023). Using Partial Budgeting Analyses to Analyze Profitability of Commercial Pumpkin Production, Standardize Bin Size Categories, and Understand Bin Sorting Accuracy. HortScience, 58(12), 1587-1594.
  • This study analyzes commercial pumpkin production profitability, proposes standardized bin size categories, and examines bin sorting accuracy. The researchers found that 20% of pumpkins were incorrectly sorted using current practices and established standard fruit diameter ranges for bin categories (medium: 23.5-26.8 cm; large: 26.9-29.9 cm; extra-large: 30.0-33.6 cm; jumbo: 33.7-35.5 cm). Their partial budget analysis determined that the most profitable plant spacing is 0.9 m² with a 1.5-m row width, earning $37,163/ha, demonstrating that profit depends on both fruit quantity and size as these factors determine the number and category of commercial bins.
• Knuth, M., Wei, X., Zhang, X., & Khachatryan, H. (2023). Homeowners’ Prioritization of Landscape Features Regarding Aesthetic, Environmental, Financial, and Psychological Benefits. HortTechnology, 33(6), 535-543.
  • This study investigates Florida homeowners’ prioritization of landscape features, identifying four distinct homeowner groups based on their perceived importance of environmental, financial, aesthetic, and psychological benefits of landscapes. The findings revealed that homeowners’ knowledge of landscaping practices and environmental attitudes significantly influence their landscape feature preferences, with nearly half (49%) prioritizing curb appeal, while environmental benefits, financial benefits, and psychological effects were valued by 19%, 19%, and 14% of respondents, respectively. These insights can help policymakers and extension agents tailor their communication strategies to effectively promote environmentally friendly landscape practices among different homeowner segments.
• Rihn, A. L., Knuth, M. J., Huddleston, P. T., & Behe, B. K. (2024). Comparison of Online and Instore Plant Buyers. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 42(4), 173-180.
  • This study compares online and in-store plant buyers, revealing that online purchasers are more likely to be male, younger, have higher household incomes, and live in urban areas compared to traditional in-store shoppers. The research found that online flower/plant sales average nearly twice the amount of in-store purchases, and the seller’s reputation positively influenced online purchases across all three plant categories examined: cut flowers, edible plants, and foliage plants. These findings suggest horticultural businesses should consider tailoring their marketing strategies to appeal to this demographically distinct online customer segment, through adjusted visual elements, careful management of online reviews, and product selections optimized for online sales.
• Knuth, M., Wei, X., Zhang, X., Khachatryan, H., Hodges, A., & Yue, C. (2024). Defining preferred turfgrass features for lawn choice for Floridian homeowners. Journal of Urban Management, 13(4), 657-670.
  • This study identifies Florida homeowners’ preferences for turfgrass features, finding that drought tolerance, color, frequency of mowing, disease resistance, and pest tolerance were the top-ranked features that influenced lawn choices. A rank-ordered logit model revealed that homeowners’ knowledge of irrigation and fertilizer requirements significantly affected their preferences while having a more rural location increased their preference for drought-tolerant grass. 
• Wei, X., Knuth, M., & Khachatryan, H. (2024). The Role of Consumers’ Knowledge of Native and Pollinator-friendly Plants and Their Prioritization of Plant Characteristics in Purchase Decisions. HortScience, 59(7), 941-948.
  • This study examines how consumers’ knowledge of native and pollinator-friendly plants influences their plant purchasing decisions, finding that participants with higher knowledge of these plants placed more emphasis on sustainable production methods over physical attributes and care characteristics. The research also revealed a knowledge gap between consumers’ subjective and objective understanding of pollinator-friendly plants, with plant lovers prioritizing sustainability features while participants primarily buying from mass merchandisers tend to focus more on visual appeal and aesthetic characteristics. 
• Knuth, M., Rihn, A., Torres, A., Behe, B., Boyer, C., & Khachatryan, H. (2024). Social Media Usage Among Green Industry Firms. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 42(2), 75-84.
  • This study investigates social media usage among green industry firms (growers, retailers, and landscapers), finding that retailers and growers are more likely to use social media and have multiple accounts compared to landscapers, with retailers spending the most on online and social media advertising. The research reveals that firm age doesn’t affect advertising expenditures or usage, but businesses rank finding hourly employees as a significant concern, suggesting that some social media behavior is correlated with factors deemed important for business success.
• Rihn, A. L., Knuth, M. J., Behe, B. K., & Hall, C. R. (2024). Assessing the Relationship between Plant Types Purchased and Consideration of Future Consequences to Generate Marketing Messages for Ornamental Plants¹.  Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 42(1), 31-39.
  • This research explores the relationship between plant types purchased, consideration of future consequences (CFC), and mental health to inform marketing strategies for ornamental plants. Results showed positive correlations between plant types purchased and spending, with mental health ratings and high CFC ratings also positively correlated; purchasing indoor foliage plants improved the probability of being in the high CFC group, while purchasing annual plants improved mental health ratings.
• Jenkins, E. B., Knuth, M. J., Hall, C. R., & Palma, M. A. (2023, August). Shifts in the American floriculture industry: comparing international and domestic growers. In IV Asian Horticultural Congress-AHC2023 1404 (pp. 559-566).
  • This article explores shifts in the American floriculture industry by comparing international and domestic growers through interviews and data analysis. The study reveals differences in perspectives between domestic and international growers, with the former focused on differentiating themselves in the marketplace and the latter invested in ensuring a functional and communicative supply chain. Key findings highlight the industry’s operation in “silos,” which hinders adaptability and information flow, emphasizing the need for a more cohesive industry with greater collaboration, adaptability, and consumer education to enhance overall success.
• Khachatryan, H., Knuth, M., Hodges, A., & Hall, C. (2022). Florida Nursery and Landscape Industry Economic Contributions Report: FE1114/FE1114, 02/2022. EDIS, 2022(1).
  • This report summarizes the economic contributions of the Florida green industry in 2018, finding it generated $29,888 million in total output contributions and supported 203,482 jobs. The landscape architecture and services sector was the largest contributor, followed by greenhouse and nursery production.
• Khachatryan, H., Knuth, M., Hodges, A., & Hall, C. (2021). Florida Nursery and Landscape Industry Characteristics Report: FE1108, 12/2021. EDIS, 2021(6).
  • This report details the characteristics of Florida’s Nursery and Landscape Industry in 2018 based on a survey of 433 firms, revealing information on plant types sold, marketing practices, pest management, water sources, and factors affecting business growth. The survey found that tropical foliage plants were the top plant category, most firms sell through re-wholesale market channels, and well water was the dominant irrigation source.
• Knuth, M. J. (2020). Behavioral and Attitudinal Differences of Consumers Amid Drought and Non-Drought Conditions. Texas A&M University.
  • This study examines consumer knowledge and perceptions of local, sustainable, and organic (LSO) produce and their influence on purchasing decisions. The researchers found that consumers’ knowledge and positive perceptions of LSO produce significantly influence their purchasing decisions, and that demographic characteristics like income and education also play a role. These findings suggest marketing strategies should emphasize the benefits of LSO production and target specific consumer segments to promote greater adoption.