Perennial Plant Association

What Perennial Plant Association does

The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) is a U.S. non-profit trade association founded in 1984 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, that serves professionals across the herbaceous perennial industry, including wholesale and retail growers, garden centers, landscape designers and contractors, public garden staff, horticulture educators, and master gardeners. Its mission centers on connecting these professionals, providing education on perennial plants, and promoting the use and appreciation of perennials in the landscape.

PPA's core programs are anchored by an annual National Symposium that draws 600-1,200+ attendees, a network of regional symposia across seven geographic regions, a recurring Virtual Edition webinar series, and the trademarked Perennial Plant of the Year® program, which has named an annual featured cultivar since 1990. Additional programming includes the Landscape Design Awards and Perennial Garden Month (observed since 2001), plus a partnership with All-America Selections on Perennial Trials. Day-to-day operations have been managed since 2019 by Woody Bibens & Associates, an external association management firm.

Revenue is generated through tiered individual and organizational membership dues ranging from $20 for students to $650+ for premium tiers, National Symposium and regional event registration, exhibitor booth fees, advertising, sponsorships, and a branded licensing program introduced around the 2024 40th anniversary. PPA does not publicly disclose its financials, and the 2026 National Symposium in East Lansing, Michigan has reported sold-out exhibitor booth space with a waitlist, indicating demand strength at the event line of business.

Name

Perennial Plant Association

Legal name

Perennial Plant Association

Website

https://perennialplant.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Perennial Plant Association is a U.S. non-profit trade association, founded in 1984 and based in Raleigh, NC, that serves growers, retailers, landscape designers, and educators through an annual symposium, regional events, webinars, the Perennial Plant of the Year® program, and member education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horticulture Trade Association Services

NAICS

Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114), Landscaping Services (561730)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Horticulture, Nursery & Greenhouse Operations (EDAOAOAB)

Keywords

• Horticulture trade association
• Perennial plant education
• Industry networking events
• Plant promotion programs
• Landscape design awards

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues ranging from $20/year for students to $650/year for firms with over $2M in perennial business volume. Membership year runs January 1 - December 31.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from National Symposium registration, regional symposia, and virtual webinars. Members receive discounted pricing compared to non-members.
3. Newsletter Advertising: Monthly e-newsletter advertising packages sold to member and non-member companies. Annual contracts and seasonal contracts available at various price points.
4. Trade Show Booth Sales: Exhibitor booth sales at the National Symposium trade show. 2026 booth space sold out with waitlist.
5. Sponsorship Revenue: Corporate sponsorships at the National Symposium including Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze tiers, plus named sponsorships for specific items like tote bags, meals, and breaks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Perennial Plant Association delivers horticulture industry education and networking through tiered annual membership, an annual week-long National Symposium with education sessions, trade show, and tours, regional one-day symposia, monthly webinars, and the member-voted Perennial Plant of the Year® program. Members also access a job board, bi-monthly e-newsletter, online member directory, and the Landscape Design Awards program for professional recognition.

Product overview

The Perennial Plant Association is a trade association supporting the herbaceous perennial plant industry, not a software product company. PPA offers a portfolio of membership-based programs and events including the annual National Symposium (a week-long gathering with education, trade shows, tours, and awards), Regional Symposia (one-day regional events), Virtual Edition webinars (online educational content), the Perennial Plant of the Year® program (member-voted plant selection), Landscape Design Awards, the PPA Job Board, monthly e-newsletters, and the member portal/directory. These offerings are provided to members at discounted rates and serve to connect horticulture professionals, provide education, and promote perennial plants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Perennial Plant of the Year: A prestigious annual program selecting outstanding perennials for the horticulture industry, running since 1990
• Perennial Gardening Month

Products and services

• PPA Membership Tiered annual memberships offered to horticulture professionals, with rates scaled to total perennial business volume ($20/year for students up to $650/year for firms with $2M+ business), providing voting or non-voting rights, event discounts, and access to member resources.
• National Symposium Week-long annual event featuring education sessions, trade show, exclusive tours of member nurseries and gardens, social events, and awards presentations for the perennial plant industry.
• Regional Symposia One-day regional symposia held in various locations offering education and tours throughout the year, complementing the annual National Symposium.
• PPA Virtual Edition (Webinars) Monthly virtual webinar series covering various horticulture topics, with recordings available on-demand through a Webinar Library for PPA members.
• Perennial Plant of the Year® Program Annual member-voted program selecting an outstanding perennial for criteria including wide climatic suitability, low maintenance, pest and disease resistance, and multiple-season interest; plants are then promoted nationally for industry and consumer awareness.
• Landscape Design Awards Program Annual awards program recognizing exemplary landscape designs highlighting herbaceous perennial use, with categories ranging from residential to commercial to public horticulture installations, including Award of Excellence and Award of Merit designations across 8 project classes.
• PPA Job Board Online employment marketplace connecting employers with qualified candidates in the horticulture and perennial plant industry, accessible through the networking portal.
• PPA Bi-Monthly E-Newsletter Electronic newsletter published bi-monthly providing updates on the association, upcoming events, industry news, and plant profiles, with advertising packages sold to member and non-member companies.
• New to the Market Forum Annual forum showcasing new perennial plant introductions to the horticulture industry, typically held as a session during the National Symposium.
• Perennial Gardening Month™ Nationally recognized annual program observed each June, promoting perennial gardening through member events and consumer-facing marketing support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Perennial Plant of the Year nominations exceed 400 plants annually from PPA members
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Walters GardensflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor for 2026 National Symposium. Featured exhibitor. One of the largest perennial growers in North America.
• Twixwood NurserycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor and featured exhibitor for 2026 National Symposium. Perennial and ornamental grass supplier.
• BASFcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for 2026 National Symposium. Agricultural chemical company with Better Plants program for nursery industry.
• New Moon NurserycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor and featured exhibitor for 2026 National Symposium. Wholesale perennial grower.
• Great Garden PlantscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for 2026 National Symposium. Online nursery specializing in perennials and ornamental grasses.
• Jelitto Jet SeedsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTote Bag Sponsor and Bronze Sponsor for 2026 National Symposium. Perennial seed company with over 3,700 seed varieties.
• Perennial Plant FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeparate 501(c)(3) foundation affiliated with PPA. Offers annual scholarship for PPA National Symposium attendance and membership. Located at perennialplantfoundation.org.
• Pleasant Run NurseryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNew to Market Sponsor for 2026 National Symposium. Wholesale nursery specializing in native perennials.
• Darwin PerennialsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerI Love PPA Sponsor for 2026 National Symposium. Plant breeding and wholesale company.
• Brent & Becky's BulbsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerName Badge Holder Sponsor for 2026 National Symposium. Bulb supplier.
• Proven WinnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor for 2026 National Symposium. Leading plant brand.
• North Creek NurseriesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor for 2026 National Symposium. Native plant and perennial starter specialist.
• Grower Talks/Green ProfitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Partner for 2026 National Symposium. Horticulture industry publication.
• Perennial PulseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Partner for 2026 National Symposium. Ball Publishing horticulture newsletter.
• Greenhouse ManagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Partner for 2026 National Symposium. Trade publication for greenhouse operations.
• Nursery ManagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Partner for 2026 National Symposium. Trade publication for nursery operations.
• Garden CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Partner for 2026 National Symposium. Retail garden center trade publication.
• Michigan Green Industry AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Partner for 2026 National Symposium. Regional horticulture industry association.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Society of American Florists (SAF): National trade association serving the floriculture industry with a similar membership, convention, awards and education model. Direct analogue to PPA, but oriented to floral products rather than landscape perennials.
• American Public Gardens Association: Membership association for public gardens, arboreta and botanic gardens — a distinct PPA member category. Similar membership, conference and education model centered on plant collections and horticulture.
• Garden Communicators International: Trade association for garden writers, photographers and media — a segment PPA explicitly courts as members and partners. Similar association structure, awards programs and annual conference.
• National Garden Bureau: Non-profit promoting gardening and plants to consumers and industry; runs annual 'Year of the' plant programs analogous to PPA's PPOY. Directly comparable in promotional mission and trade-industry focus.
• International Plant Propagators' Society (IPPS): International society for those involved in plant propagation; it shares PPA's hybrid trade-association/scientific-society model with regional conferences, peer education and member publications. Highly comparable in operating structure.
• AmericanHort: The national US trade association for the entire horticulture industry, including growers, retailers, landscapers and suppliers. Closest comparable to PPA in membership model, advocacy, events (Cultivate) and education, though broader in scope than perennials.

Broad incumbents

• American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA): Large, established professional association for landscape architects; overlaps with PPA's landscape designer/contractor member base, but is broader in scope, larger in scale, and focused on licensed designers rather than perennial horticulture.

Emerging players

• Ecological Landscape Alliance: Non-profit focused on ecological landscaping practices including native plants. Comparable member/education model and overlapping member base, but oriented to a specific sustainable-landscaping niche.

Others

• Horticultural Research Institute: Research foundation affiliated with the horticulture industry (closely tied to AmericanHort). Adjacent to PPA's mission in funding horticulture research and scholarships, though more of a grant-making entity than an event/membership association.

Regional players

• Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA): Canadian national association for nursery and landscape professionals, paralleling PPA's mandate and event-based GTM but serving a Canadian membership base. Comparable structure and programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ppanews
• Facebookfacebook.com/PerennialPlantAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/perennial-plant-association

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Perennial Plant Association