Awards at IPM 2026

Around 1,400 exhibitors from 45 nations are expected at the world leading trade fair

From 27 to 30 January 2026, IPM Essen will become the central ordering and communication platform for the international green sector

Horticulture

Read More: Awards IPM ESSEN Trade Show

21 January 2026

IPM Essen, the leading trade fair for horticulture and the key meeting place for the green sector, will take place from 27 to 30 January 2026.

The international horticultural industry meets at IPM Essen to present its innovations and new products to the trade public. The world’s leading trade fair is also the platform for numerous award ceremonies.

The AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards (IGOTY)

The IGOTY Awards have been organized by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) and founding partner FloraCulture International (FCI) since 2019 and recognize the best of the best in ornamental plant production.

The awards cover four categories: finished plants and trees, young plants, cut flowers and bulbs, and sustainability.

The IGOTY 2026 reception and awards ceremony will take place on the 27th January in the Ruhr Hall.

In addition to the ceremony, the AIPH will host an industry conference and panel with inspiring speakers and previous IGOTY winners.

IPM Novelties Showcase 2026

Since 2008, the latest plant innovations have been exhibited and honoured in the IPM Novelties Showcase at IPM Essen. All the plant exhibitors will have the possibility of presenting their innovations in Hall 4.

“Innovations” in the terms of the exhibition regulations will include new breeds and new wild and growth forms which have not been known until now and have not been exhibited at any other German fair.

Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:

Flowering and Green House Plants
Spring-Flowering Plants
Bedding and Balcony Plants
Cut Flowers
Bushes and Shrubs
Woody Plants
Tub Plants

Show Your Colours Award

At IPM Essen 2026, the Show Your Colours award will be presented in Hall 8 for the eighth time. The award is organised by Messe Essen in cooperation with BIZZ Holland.

Show Your Colours is all about the added value of the plant, which is expressed in the story behind it, in other words storytelling. Both plants and plant concepts can be submitted.

In order to motivate participants at the trade fair to put their products with something extra in the spotlight, the Show Your Colours Award IPM was introduced.

The nominated plants, will be exhibited in Hall 8 during the trade fair. The public will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite plant. On the 29th January, the entries will be judged by the professional jury. Following this, the result will be announced in the BIZZ Holland stand, Hall 8 at 3 pm.

IPM Messecup

A celebration of creativity, craftsmanship and lots of design fun awaits visitors and participants at the IPM Messe Cup. As an important industry competition, the IPM Messe Cup promises exciting floristic and horticultural creations.

Under the motto “Boundless blooming community”, the competition participants will once again present their skills and workpieces in the categories “Bouquet”, “Green Hero in a Pot” and “Container Planting” to the trade public in Hall 5.

The IPM Trade Fair Cup focuses on the range of floristry and horticultural services – coupled with a large portion of creativity. The aim is to showcase new floral trends, innovative flower arrangements, many stories about potted plants and a floral connection with the IPM.

Prizes will be awarded to the workpieces that best realize the theme in a free design. The IPM Trade Fair Cup is hosted and organized by the Fachverband Deutscher Floristen Landesverband NRW e.V., the Landesverband Gartenbau NRW e.V. and Messe Essen.

Green Cities Europe Award

Since 2025 the renowned Green Cities Europe award will be presented annually at IPM Essen in Hall 7. Greenery as a design element in public spaces not only contributes significantly to a better climate, but also increases the quality of life in urban agglomerations.

The award, which has been presented by the European Nurserystock Association (ENA) for the past five years, recognizes outstanding projects that promote green and sustainable cities in Europe.

Projects from participating ENA member countries are nominated and present their innovative approaches directly opposite the Bund deutscher Baumschulen – BdB (Association of German Nurseries) in Hall 7 at IPM Essen.

The highlight of the program: the award ceremony will take place on the Thursday of the fair.

Read more: IPM Essen 2026 overview

Read More: Awards IPM ESSEN Trade Show