NAICS 111421

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the framework used by federal statistical programs to categorize business establishments for consistent collection, analysis, and publication of U.S. economic data. Created under the Office of Management and Budget and adopted in 1997 to replace SIC, it was jointly developed with Statistics Canada and Mexico’s INEGI; the current U.S. statistical vintage is 2022. ³
NAICS 111421 covers establishments primarily engaged in growing nursery products and tree stock—such as nursery stock, shrubs, bulbs, fruit stock, and sod—either under cover or in open fields, and in growing short‑rotation woody trees (growth/harvest cycle of 10 years or less) for pulp or tree stock, including cut Christmas trees. Cross‑references direct longer‑cycle timber to NAICS 113110 and retail garden centers to NAICS 444220. ¹

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 111421 overview
• NAICS 111422 — Floriculture Production
• NAICS 113110 — Timber Tract Operations

What this NAICS covers

• Production of nursery stock, shrubbery, bulbs, and fruit stock in open fields or under protective cover. ¹
• Sod and turfgrass cultivation for sale as planting material. ¹
• Growing short‑rotation woody trees (≤10‑year cycle) for pulp or transplanting. ¹
• Cultivation of cut Christmas trees and other short‑rotation woody species (e.g., cottonwoods). ¹
• Propagation and field/under‑cover growing of tree stock for reforestation or landscaping uses. ¹
• Operations that remove crops at various stages of maturity, conducted under greenhouses, cold frames, cloth or lath houses as applicable. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	111422	Floriculture Production (cut flowers, cultivated greens, potted plants, flower seeds). 1
NAICS	113110	Timber Tract Operations (longer than 10‑year timber cycles; standing timber). 1
NAICS	444220	Nursery and Garden Centers (retail of nursery/garden products predominantly grown elsewhere). 4
PSC	F010	Natural Resources/Conservation — Seedling Production/Transplanting. 2

Boundary guidance (inclusions and exclusions)

• Vegetable and melon bedding plants are classified in NAICS 11121, not in 111421. ¹
• Timber operations with growth cycles exceeding 10 years fall under NAICS 113110, not 111421. ¹
• Establishments primarily retailing nursery products grown by others are NAICS 444220; growing and retailing own nursery stock may fit 111421. ⁴

Frequently asked questions

• What activities are in scope for NAICS 111421?
  Establishments that grow nursery products (nursery stock, shrubbery, bulbs, fruit stock, sod) and those growing short‑rotation woody trees (10 years or less) for pulp or tree stock, including cut Christmas trees. Activities may occur under cover (e.g., greenhouses) or in open fields across diverse climates. ¹

• How does NAICS 111421 differ from NAICS 111422?
  NAICS 111421 centers on nursery stock and short‑rotation woody trees, while NAICS 111422 covers floriculture—cut flowers, cultivated greens, potted flowering and foliage plants, and flower seeds—grown under cover or in fields. The dividing line is nursery/tree stock versus floriculture products. ¹

• Are cut Christmas trees included in NAICS 111421?
  Yes. Cut Christmas trees are treated as short‑rotation woody trees (growth/harvest cycles of 10 years or less) and are included within the NAICS 11142 industry group and U.S. industry 111421 definitions. This includes cultivation in plantations and harvest for sale. ¹

• When should work be coded to NAICS 113110 or 444220 instead of 111421?
  Use NAICS 113110 for timber tracts with cycles longer than 10 years and NAICS 444220 for establishments primarily retailing nursery/garden products grown by others. Growing nursery stock (including short‑rotation trees) remains in NAICS 111421. ¹

• Which PSCs commonly align to nursery and tree cultivation services?
  Common natural‑resources PSCs include F005 Forest Tree Planting, F009 Seed Collection/Production, and F010 Seedling Production/Transplanting. Agencies use these service codes in FPDS to reflect planting, seed handling, and nursery/transplant operations in forestry and conservation contexts. ²

Useful resources

• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022: 111421 Nursery and Tree Production. ¹
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS program home and introduction. ³
• Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual (current edition). ²

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022, Sector 11 page with industry 111421 definition and cross‑references: https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect11.html
2. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Codes Manual, April 2025 (current): https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual (PDF direct: https://www.acquisition.gov/content/psc-manual-april-2025.pdf)
3. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS program introduction (NAICS definition, 1997 adoption, OMB/ECPC/Statistics Canada/INEGI): https://www.census.gov/naics
4. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022, Sector 44‑45 page with industry 444220 definition and cross‑references: https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect44-45.html