In a notable shift in gardening preferences, red creeping thyme (Thymus praecox ‘Coccineus’) emerged as the most sought-after plant in 2023, according to data from the NetPS Plant Finder Tool. While trees and shrubs continued to dominate the rankings, comprising 79 of the top 100 plants, this year’s list unveiled a mix of surprising newcomers and enduring favorites.
James Kohut, president of Northscaping and developer of NetPS, highlighted the trend, stating, “Our data indicates that shoppers are increasingly utilizing the Plant Finder tool on their local garden center’s website for pre-shopping research.” The tool serves as a resource for customers seeking information on “long-term investment” plants, problem-solving varieties, and larger perennials, which accounted for 63 of the top 100 plants.
Functional and problem-solving plants, exemplified by the popularity of creeping thyme, featured prominently on the list, indicating a growing interest in plants that serve multiple purposes. Hedge and screening plants, including the favored arborvitae, constituted 13 of the top 100 selections, reflecting a preference for privacy and landscaping solutions.
The NetPS Plant Finder Tool, boasting over 35,000 plants and utilized by over 250 nurseries and garden centers across North America, stands as the most comprehensive plant database available. In 2023, it garnered over 23 million searches from landscape designers, contractors, home landscapers, and gardeners, informing the selection of the top 100 plants based on page views resulting from these searches.
The top 10 plants from the complete list include red creeping thyme, red sentinel astilbe, sunburst honeylocust, raspberry splash lungwort, sester dwarf blue spruce, green giant arborvitae, amur maple, variegated bishop’s goutweed, bloodgood Japanese maple, and tricolor willow (tree form).
Kohut emphasized the importance of leveraging investment plants like these to drive in-store traffic and purchases, particularly for retailers aiming to capitalize on customer interest in trees and shrubs. “Even if trees and shrubs aren’t your primary sellers, these plants can attract customers to your store,” he remarked, underlining the strategic value of the NetPS Plant Finder Tool in informing retailers’ product offerings and marketing strategies both online and in physical stores.