Greenhouse growers looking for new crops should consider joining a market that is expected to exceed $8 billion by 2027.

Succulents — those tiny, weird cacti-looking plants that are becoming more and more ubiquitous at IGCs and even in big-box retailers — were big sellers during the 1970s and 1980s, and, like most consumer trends, they’ve come full circle, roaring back to popularity of late.

Millennials — and social media — are the main drivers of the recent succulent renaissance, says Dave Holley, general manager at Moss Greenhouses, a wholesale plant distributor in Jerome, Idaho. Holley presented on succulents at AmericanHort’s inaugural Finished Plant Conference, which took place in early October in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“By 2027, succulents will be an $8 billion in revenue annual business segment,” he shares, adding that Moss started growing succulents with 200 flats back in 2012. Today, the business says that they’re averaging 5,000 flats of succulents annually.

One key in putting together a fantastic greenhouse succulents program is to be good at forecasting and planning, because the unrooted cuttings (URCs) that you’ll need to start production are typically in shorter supply than traditional ornamental cuttings. And there just aren’t as many genetics providers for succulents as there are for floriculture plants.

“You’ve got to be able to forecast out 12, 16, even 20 weeks in advance if you’re looking to get good availability of a lot of different varieties,” Holley explains. “If you go on their site today and want to order plants for a month or two from now, you’re probably not going to see a good selection to choose from. Get those orders in early.”

Another option is to grow non-patented varieties, which Holley says you can then take “pups” or cuttings from that can be rooted into viable young plants. If you choose varieties that are under patent, then you’ll have to ask the propagator about any royalty fees you’d be responsible for.

“Just one more thing that can help keep your costs down, which is key for this crop as well,” Holley adds.

Some key revelations about succulent production that Holley shared: