IPM ESSEN 2027: the international horticulture trade fair

IPM ESSEN takes place from 26 to 29 January 2027 at Messe Essen, Essen, Germany. Organised by Messe Essen, it is a professional trade fair covering plants, horticultural technology, floristry and garden features. The organiser describes exhibitors as presenting products and services for the green sector, with climate change and sustainability identified as defining themes on the event’s current overview.

For visitors, the value lies in the range of linked product groups: plant material and nursery stock sit alongside the equipment, cultivation inputs, floristry supplies, garden features and commercial services used to produce, present and sell them. For exhibitors, the breadth creates a setting to show products to trade visitors from across the horticultural value chain. The 2027 dates are confirmed; programme details for this edition should be checked with the organiser as they are released.

Why IPM ESSEN matters to horticulture professionals

Review the supply chain in one visit

The exhibition areas span plants, technology, floristry and garden features. That breadth can help professionals connect decisions that are often made separately: plant selection, production conditions, equipment, presentation and the point of sale. A grower can consider both crop material and the inputs used to cultivate it; a retailer can compare product categories with display and shop-fitting options.

Compare products and practical applications

The official product areas include ornamental plants and nursery stock as well as greenhouse construction, heating, irrigation and drainage, machinery, measurement and regulation equipment, substrates, plant protection, pots and transport equipment. Visitors can use these categories to identify relevant suppliers, compare specifications and note where a product fits their own operation. The fair is a discovery and evaluation environment; suitability, availability, prices and commercial terms still need to be confirmed directly with suppliers.

See plant and floristry ranges alongside business inputs

Cut flowers, flowering pot plants, green plants, seeds, young plants, shrubs and other plant groups appear alongside floristry requisites, decorations, containers, garden equipment and shop fittings. This juxtaposition is useful for buyers and designers who need to assess not only the plant itself but also how it may be handled, presented or incorporated into a customer-facing offer.

Use the latest published scale as context

For the 2026 edition, the organiser reported 1,476 exhibitors from 41 nations and more than 40,000 trade visitors. These figures describe the previous edition, not a forecast for 2027. They indicate the scale of the professional marketplace and make advance prioritisation useful: visitors are likely to benefit from deciding which product areas, companies and programme elements matter most to their work.

Who should visit IPM ESSEN?

IPM ESSEN is aimed at trade visitors. The following audience groups are grounded in the organiser’s stated sectors and product areas; the fair does not publish a detailed visitor-role breakdown on the pages reviewed.

Growers and nursery operators

If you produce ornamental plants, nursery stock, young plants or flowers, focus on cultivation inputs and production technology as well as plant material. The official areas include seeds, substrates, pots, greenhouse construction, heating, irrigation and drainage, plant protection, nursery technology, machinery and measuring equipment. Prepare a short list of production questions—such as crop requirements, system compatibility, maintenance, throughput and service support—and record which suppliers can provide evidence relevant to your growing conditions.

• Compare plant varieties and young-plant options against your crop plan.
• Review greenhouse, heating, irrigation and measurement systems against the constraints of your site.
• Ask suppliers how equipment is maintained and what technical information is available.
• Separate a general product introduction from a solution that fits a specific crop or investment decision.

Garden-centre, wholesale and retail buyers

Buyers can use the breadth of plants, containers, garden products and sales-promotion items to review possible additions to their assortment. The exhibitor list for 2027 is accessible through the organiser’s event site, which can help visitors identify relevant companies before arrival. Build a comparison sheet around product range, seasonal fit, presentation, supply terms and any information the seller can substantiate; do not assume the fair itself establishes price, availability or distribution rights.

• Identify product categories that are missing or underrepresented in your current range.
• Compare plant material, pots, decorative products and shop-fitting ideas as separate purchasing decisions.
• Ask about assortment, pack sizes, ordering conditions, lead times and delivery arrangements directly with each supplier.
• Record a clear next step for every promising supplier rather than relying on memory after the fair.

Florists and floral designers

Florists can explore cut flowers, flowering pot plants, dried and silk flowers, florists’ requisites, candles, cards, decorations, pottery, containers and related presentation products. The organiser’s areas show that floristry is considered alongside the broader plant and garden sectors. Use the visit to compare material, finish, range and practical handling, and to gather ideas that can be tested against your customers, price points and seasonal calendar.

• Note flower and plant varieties that fit your planned work and sourcing needs.
• Compare containers, decorative materials and tools by finish, use and care requirements.
• Ask suppliers for product information and ordering details rather than inferring them from a display.
• Keep inspiration separate from purchase-ready decisions so that follow-up can be prioritised.

Landscapers, garden designers and horticultural service professionals

Garden and landscaping professionals can investigate shrubs, trees, perennials and other plant material alongside gardening and landscaping technology, garden equipment, outdoor pots, vertical gardens, garden structures, sculptures and related services. Use the event to identify products that could fit a defined project type, maintenance model or client requirement. Check dimensions, materials, durability, installation needs and suitability with the supplier; the product category alone does not establish performance in a particular site.

• Bring a concise description of the project types and site conditions you work with.
• Compare plant choices with the equipment or features needed to install and maintain them.
• Ask what technical or care documentation is available for each shortlisted product.
• Record follow-up questions where compatibility, delivery or maintenance needs further confirmation.

Horticultural technology manufacturers, distributors and service providers

Companies supplying greenhouse systems, irrigation, drainage, heating, cooling, measuring and regulation equipment, machinery, substrates, transport, software or services can use the fair to present products to a trade audience spanning plant production, floristry and garden-related commerce. Set a clear objective for the conversations you want: product feedback, distribution research, technical comparison or partner qualification. A meeting or conversation is a starting point for evaluation, not a guarantee of a commercial relationship.

• Bring product specifications, application boundaries and service information that a professional buyer can assess.
• Define which kinds of growers, retailers or service firms are relevant to your offer.
• Ask visitors about the operational problem they are trying to solve before proposing a solution.
• Use a consistent record of questions, requested evidence and agreed follow-up.

What can you find at IPM ESSEN?

Plants

The organiser lists bonsai, bulbs, bushes and shrubs, Christmas trees, cut flowers, flowering pot plants, green plants, hydroponics, nursery plants, palm trees, seeds, vegetables and young plants. Sales-promotion products are also included in this area. Visitors can compare plant categories and ask suppliers about characteristics, production, care and commercial availability relevant to their own requirements.

Horticultural technology

The technology area includes cooling, commercial vehicles and trailers, earths, peats and substrates, fruit and vegetable production technology, gardening and landscaping technology, greenhouse construction, heating systems, irrigation and drainage, machinery and equipment, measurement and regulation equipment, nursery technology, plant protection, pots, transport and lifting equipment. This grouping is relevant to businesses evaluating cultivation, handling, infrastructure and operational inputs.

Floristry

Floristry products include arts and crafts, candles, congratulation and condolence cards, decorations, dried and silk flowers, florists’ requisites, garden gourmet products, grave decoration, handmade pottery, plant pots in glass, ceramics, porcelain, plastics and enamel, stamping machinery and wickerwork. The variety makes it practical to compare both materials used in floral work and products used to display or complete an arrangement.

Garden features

Garden features include aviaries and nesting facilities, flower tubs, garden equipment and decorations, garden sculptures, horticultural equipment, living accessories, outdoor plant pots, services, shop construction and shop fittings, software and IT consultancy, vertical gardens and wind mobiles. Buyers and designers can use these categories to explore products and services for outdoor spaces, garden retail and related applications.

What makes IPM ESSEN distinctive?

Its defining characteristic is the combination of plant diversity with the technology and commercial products surrounding plant production and presentation. The event’s four official areas—plants, technology, floristry and garden features—bring together categories that serve different stages of the horticultural value chain. This is relevant to visitors who need to compare plant material and its production inputs, or to consider how plants are presented and supported in retail, floristry and landscaped settings.

The organiser also promotes a supporting programme. Its current programme page is a review of the 2026 edition, not a confirmed 2027 schedule. The page names the Innovation Centre Horticulture Technology, Awards, Gardeners Forum, Horticulture Infocenter, Woodland Arena, IPM Discovery Center, BDB Academy and Landgard-Ordertage spring edition. These are examples of the previous edition’s offer; check the organiser’s 2027 programme before planning around any session, award or special area.

What should you try to achieve at IPM ESSEN?

If you buy for a garden centre or wholesale business

Set an objective such as: shortlist a defined number of suppliers in two product categories and compare their range, supply conditions and evidence. Choose categories before you arrive, then compare products on the same criteria so the conversation does not end with a collection of brochures that are difficult to evaluate.

If you grow plants or operate a nursery

Set an objective such as: identify production inputs or equipment that address one documented crop or operational constraint. Bring the relevant site, crop and system details you can share, and ask suppliers to clarify operating requirements, compatibility, support and maintenance.

If you work in floristry or floral design

Set an objective such as: compare a focused group of flowers, containers or design materials against your upcoming assortment needs. Note the product, supplier, finish, ordering information and next question; distinguish practical sourcing from inspiration that needs testing with customers.

If you design or maintain gardens

Set an objective such as: identify plant and equipment options relevant to one project type, then verify the technical and maintenance requirements. Use a real project brief to keep conversations specific, while treating claims about performance as questions to substantiate.

If you exhibit or distribute horticultural products

Set an objective such as: learn which buyer types and applications are most relevant to your offer and agree a specific next step with qualified contacts. Prepare concise product information and questions, but do not treat visitor numbers or an initial discussion as a forecast of orders.

How to prepare before IPM ESSEN

1. Define your reason for attending

Choose the decision you want to make: sourcing plant material, reviewing production technology, developing a floristry assortment, selecting garden products or researching the market. Turn that decision into questions. For example, a grower might ask about irrigation controls, system compatibility and service; a retailer might compare assortment depth, ordering conditions and seasonal fit. A focused brief helps you distinguish relevant suppliers from interesting but unrelated displays.

2. Use the 2027 exhibitor list to make a shortlist

The organiser provides an exhibitor-list link for 2027 on its event site. Search by product area or company, then classify prospective contacts as A — essential, B — useful and C — explore if time allows. The list is a discovery tool; confirm current product details and meeting arrangements directly with each company. Do not assume that a listed firm offers a particular product unless its current entry or representative confirms it.

3. Check visitor registration and current programme information

The organiser’s website provides a 2027 visitor-registration entry point. Review the current terms and any requirements there; no ticket price or admission condition is stated in this guide. The programme page currently presents a review of 2026. Check for the 2027 version before scheduling around conferences, demonstrations, awards or special areas, because previous-edition items are not promises for the next fair.

4. Prepare questions for horticultural suppliers

Ask questions that connect products to your operating context. For plant material, clarify variety, growing conditions, care information and supply details. For greenhouse, heating, irrigation or measurement systems, ask about capacity, compatibility, installation, maintenance and technical documentation. For substrates and plant-protection products, verify composition, intended use and applicable requirements. For floristry and garden products, compare materials, finishes, dimensions, handling, ordering units and replenishment. Ask what evidence supports any performance or sustainability claim.

5. Set meetings and protect time for comparison

Where a supplier conversation is important, contact the company in advance and request a meeting rather than assuming availability. Leave time between appointments to inspect products and write down comparisons. A practical note format is: Company → product → application → evidence requested → commercial question → next action. Capture enough detail to distinguish similar plant varieties, equipment or display products after the event.

6. Plan four days around your priorities

IPM ESSEN runs over four days. If you have several distinct objectives, assign product areas or audience tasks to different visits rather than trying to cover all categories at once. Check current access, opening times and programme information with the organiser shortly before travel. The published 2027 hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 09:00–17:00, and Friday, 09:00–16:00.

How to make the most of the exhibition

Do not collect everything. Use your shortlist and visit only the stands that can help answer your questions. As you move between plants, technology, floristry and garden features, compare like with like. For a greenhouse system, note the application, capacity, compatibility and service conditions. For plant material, record the variety or category, care information, supply terms and availability that the supplier confirms. For floral or garden merchandise, record dimensions, finish, order quantities and replenishment information where supplied.

For every important conversation, capture:

• Company: the exact supplier or organisation name.
• Product: the plant, technology, material or service discussed.
• Why relevant: the crop, customer, project or operating need it might address.
• Evidence: technical sheet, care guide, certification, sample or other information requested.
• Commercial points: ordering, lead time, support or terms that the supplier has confirmed.
• Next action: who will follow up, what information is needed and by when.

The organiser lists an app and a 2027 exhibitor list. Check their current functions before relying on them for navigation, appointments or saved contacts; the pages reviewed do not establish every feature. Keep your own notes as a back-up.

Plan your time realistically

There are four official product areas and a supporting programme, so choose a sequence that reduces backtracking. Use the first part of your visit to orient yourself and check any programme details; reserve longer blocks for priority suppliers and product comparisons. Leave open time for relevant discoveries, but protect your essential appointments and research questions.

Morning

Start with the highest-priority product area or supplier meetings while your attention is fresh. Confirm the stand or company details from current organiser information, then note any product specifications or follow-up documents you need.

Midday

Review what you have found and adjust the shortlist. Use a break to compare notes across plant, technology and presentation needs, rather than scheduling every minute. If a programme feature matters to your objective, verify its current 2027 timing with the organiser.

Afternoon

Visit secondary categories, return to shortlisted suppliers with more specific questions and gather outstanding information. Avoid making a purchase decision based only on a quick display conversation; follow up on technical fit and commercial conditions.

End of day

Sort contacts into immediate, potential and information-only follow-up. Record the person you spoke with, the item discussed and the next step. This short review makes it easier to use the next day for unresolved questions rather than repeating earlier conversations.

Beyond the IPM ESSEN exhibition floor

The organiser’s programme review for 2026 lists the Innovation Centre Horticulture Technology, Awards, Gardeners Forum, Horticulture Infocenter, Woodland Arena, IPM Discovery Center, BDB Academy and Landgard-Ordertage spring edition. The programme overview also describes a supporting programme for trade visitors. These features show that previous editions have included technology-focused, information, presentation and order-related elements alongside the product areas.

Use the 2026 programme only as a guide to the kinds of features the organiser has presented before. The specific sessions, speakers, demonstrations, award entries, locations and opening times for 2027 were not established in the information reviewed. Check the organiser’s current programme before building a travel or meeting plan around any item. If you are attending for a particular topic, note the question you want answered and identify which official session details would meet that need once they are announced.

Networking at IPM ESSEN

Professional conversations are more productive when they begin with a clear context. Prepare a short introduction covering your role, the type of plants or horticultural products you handle, your market or application and the question you want to explore. A buyer can explain the assortment or supply requirement; a grower can describe the crop and production condition; a technology supplier can ask about the site, system and operational constraint before presenting a product.

When a conversation is promising, agree on a concrete next step: a specification, catalogue, sample, care document, technical call or commercial quotation, as appropriate. Confirm who will send it and what information they need from you. Ask permission before recording contact details, and make a note of any claims or requirements that need independent verification. The fair can support introductions and product discussions, but it does not guarantee a partnership or purchase outcome.

Travelling to IPM ESSEN

The venue is Messe Essen at Norbertstraße 2, 45131 Essen. The organiser’s car-arrival information directs motorists via the A3, A40, A42 and A52, with exhibition-centre signs guiding visitors to the site. It states that parking is available on site and refers to additional park-and-ride spaces. The same page gives the visitor parking fee as €18 for P1–P9; confirm that this remains current before travelling.

The organiser says that visitors can reach the site from the car parks on foot or by the exhibition-centre bus. Check the current arrival information for rail, air, accessibility and any event-specific arrangements. The official pages reviewed do not establish a dedicated 2027 shuttle service or transport timetable. Confirm opening times, access arrangements and parking details with Messe Essen close to your visit.

One day or several days at IPM ESSEN?

One day

A single day may suit a visitor with a narrow objective and a short, prepared supplier list—for example, comparing a defined plant category or checking a small number of technology suppliers. Prioritise meetings and avoid expecting to cover every product area and programme feature.

Two days

Two days can give you more time to separate production or sourcing research from floristry, retail or garden-feature categories. It can also leave room to revisit suppliers after an initial comparison. Build the schedule around confirmed appointments and the published programme, not assumptions about where a feature will be located.

Three or four days

A longer visit is more appropriate when you need to review several supply-chain stages, meet multiple companies, attend relevant programme items or compare products for different projects. Use a daily shortlist and retain time for note-taking and follow-up. The fair lasts four days, but the useful duration depends on the breadth of your goals and the current exhibitor and programme information.

Bring a real project or buying brief

If you are evaluating products for a specific growing operation, garden project, retail assortment or floral business, prepare a short brief. Include the plant or product category, intended application, operating conditions, volume or scale, delivery window and any technical or maintenance constraints you can share. For equipment, note existing systems and interfaces; for plants, specify growing conditions and care needs; for shop or garden features, record dimensions, materials and installation context.

Use the brief to test fit, not to pressure yourself into a decision at the stand. Ask suppliers for evidence, compatibility details and the information needed for a later comparison. Where a product affects plant health, safety, performance or regulatory obligations, verify the applicable requirements for your product and market independently.

After IPM ESSEN: turn notes into decisions

Within a short time after the fair, organise contacts into three groups: A — immediate action for a live project or time-sensitive sourcing need; B — potential for a relevant future requirement; and C — market information for trends or products that need more research. Link each contact to the product and application discussed so that follow-up is specific.

• Send the information requested and state the next question clearly.
• Compare supplier specifications, care information, technical documentation and commercial terms on a consistent basis.
• For plants, confirm availability, growing or handling requirements and delivery details directly with the supplier.
• For equipment, verify compatibility, installation, maintenance and service conditions for your operation.
• For floristry or garden products, check materials, dimensions, order quantities, replenishment and customer fit.
• Keep unverified claims separate from confirmed product evidence and do not treat an introductory discussion as a completed evaluation.

The useful outcome of a visit is a better-informed shortlist, a resolved question or a defined follow-up—not the number of brochures collected.

Who should consider exhibiting at IPM ESSEN?

The organiser’s product areas indicate relevance for businesses supplying ornamental and nursery plants, seeds, flowers, greenhouse and nursery technology, irrigation, substrates, machinery, floristry products, garden equipment, outdoor features, shop fittings and related services. Companies whose products support plant production, presentation, distribution or horticultural retail can assess whether the fair’s professional audience aligns with their commercial goals.

Before exhibiting, define which buyer or professional groups you need to reach, which products best demonstrate your offer and what evidence visitors will need to evaluate them. Prepare technical information, application examples and a clear process for handling enquiries. The organiser reported 1,476 exhibitors and 41 nations in 2026; this is previous-edition scale, not a guarantee of 2027 visitor mix, leads or sales. Ask Messe Essen for current exhibitor conditions, costs, deadlines and available stand options.

IPM ESSEN visitor checklist

Before the fair

• ☐ Define your horticultural, sourcing, project or technology objective.
• ☐ Review the 2027 exhibitor list and make A/B/C priorities.
• ☐ Check visitor registration, current programme details and opening times with the organiser.
• ☐ Prepare crop, site, assortment or project information for relevant supplier discussions.
• ☐ Arrange priority meetings and note the evidence or commercial details you need.
• ☐ Check current transport, parking and access information.

During the fair

• ☐ Compare products within a defined category and record the application.
• ☐ Ask specific questions on plant care, cultivation conditions, system compatibility or supply terms.
• ☐ Save the company, contact, requested documents and next action for each priority conversation.
• ☐ Verify the current schedule before attending a programme feature.
• ☐ Leave time to review notes and revisit unresolved questions.

After the fair

• ☐ Sort contacts into immediate, potential and information-only follow-up.
• ☐ Request missing specifications, care information, samples or commercial details.
• ☐ Compare suppliers against the same technical and commercial criteria.
• ☐ Record which decisions are supported by evidence and which still need checking.
• ☐ Follow up with a clear next step and responsible contact.

Is IPM ESSEN worth visiting?

IPM ESSEN is most useful to professionals whose work connects with plants, floristry, horticultural production technology, landscaping, garden products or horticultural retail. Its four product areas allow growers, buyers, florists, designers and suppliers to explore related parts of the sector in one event. Visitors with a defined sourcing, production, project or market-research objective can use the exhibitor list and product areas to make focused comparisons.

The value depends on the match between your requirements and the companies and programme available in 2027. Check the current exhibitor and programme information, prepare relevant questions and verify technical and commercial claims directly. A visitor with no clear priority may find the breadth difficult to convert into decisions; a focused plan makes the scale more manageable.

IPM ESSEN 2027 at a glance

The 2027 dates, venue address, product areas and visitor-registration entry point are published by the organiser. The statistics above describe the 2026 edition; check the organiser’s latest 2027 information for programme details and visitor arrangements.

Make your IPM ESSEN visit purposeful

Before you go, decide which plant, technology, floristry or garden-product question matters most. During the fair, compare suppliers against that question and record what must be verified. Afterwards, turn the strongest conversations into a clear shortlist and follow-up plan. Discover. Compare. Question. Decide. Follow up.

Ornamental horticulture opportunities in Germany

Market size and demand

An AIPH article reporting figures released by market analyst AMI and the German floral wholesalers’ and flower importers’ association BGI states that the combined German market for cut flowers, houseplants, garden plants, potted herbs and nursery stock was estimated at €8.6 billion in the first nine months of 2023. The article says this was below the 2022 value of €8.9 billion. It also reports a 2023 cut-flower market value of €3 billion and a bedding-and-patio-plant segment of €1.7 billion. These are dated market estimates and segment values, not a forecast for 2027 or a measure of exhibitor sales.

Market drivers and commercial opportunities

The same report says imported flowers dominated Germany’s cut-flower supply in 2023 and that the Netherlands accounted for almost 85 per cent of the total. This provides a sourcing context for exhibitors and buyers, while the reported market values show the scale of several relevant plant categories. The figures do not establish current demand for a specific variety, supplier or product.

• Cut-flower sourcing: growers, importers and wholesalers may use supplier conversations to investigate sourcing, range and logistics for a market where imports were prominent in 2023. Product-level demand, competition and commercial terms need independent assessment.
• Garden plants and bedding products: buyers and producers may compare varieties, seasonal ranges and supply options in a segment that the 2023 article valued at €1.7 billion. The figure is historical and does not guarantee demand for a particular assortment.
• Production and presentation inputs: companies may explore plant-related technology, containers, substrates and display products alongside plant categories at the fair. The market evidence provides sector context but does not quantify demand for any individual input.

Regulations and market-entry conditions

For physical consumer products that fall within its scope, the EU General Product Safety Regulation has applied since 13 December 2024, alongside more specific product legislation. Its application depends on the product and does not itself establish plant-health or import requirements for live plants, seeds or other regulated goods. Those horticulture-specific requirements were not verified in this research; companies should check the applicable rules for each product and transaction before trading.

What this may mean for exhibitors

Plant, floristry and horticultural-technology suppliers may use the fair to test how their ranges relate to documented German product categories and to explore sourcing or distribution questions with relevant trade participants. The 2023 market evidence is useful context, not a forecast of current buying, an assurance of market access or a promise of sales.

What this may mean for visitors

Buyers and horticulture professionals could use the fair to compare plant ranges and production or presentation inputs, then request product-specific evidence and current supply terms. The 2023 figures can frame questions about segments and sourcing, but visitors should verify current availability, requirements and commercial fit directly with suppliers.