The world industry of ornamental plants is under wide transformations regarding the changes in the cultivation, management, post­harvest technologies and the use of new (bio)technologies to assist the improvement and development of new varieties. This industry worth more than US$ 20 billion, but Brazil shares only 1% of this value. To compete at this market with permanent technological innovation, the country needs to be tuned in with the progresses in the biotechnologies applied to the productive chain of ornamental plants. In this revision, we analyze the Brazilian and world ornamental market emphasizing the role of the biotechnologies in the modernization and increase of the competitiveness of the sector.