Pantone announces its 2026 Color of the Year

Pantone selected its 2026 Color of the Year: Cloud Dancer, described as “a lofty white that serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection” in an announcement from the organization. 

The color proved divisive with social media users and commentators, according to coverage from NPR that included comments from Pantone’s announcement on Instagram. 

"The color of the year being colorless is a recession indicator," wrote one user @shar_fierce. @j_severova stated that the choice "feels like a microaggression to me, I just can't prove it yet." 

In a 2023 interview posted to the Pantone site, Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, gave some insight into the decision-making process surrounding the Color of the Year. 

“Conversations relating to our Pantone Color of the Year selection do not take place in one isolated meeting at a specific time of year,” she said. “It is one long, continuously flowing conversation among a group of color-attuned people.” 

Growers and retailers looking to capitalize on the trending color should look to varieties with white blooms that have a slightly ashen hue.

Here are some examples:

Katie Dubow, president of Garden Media Group and trend forecaster, notes that the choice echoes the emotional landscape her team has been tracking across the industry.

“This calm, pared-back moment is exactly why we selected the Kusumi palette, in particular, Faded Petal as our 2026 Garden Trend color,” says Dubow. “This color wheel offers a soft embrace, but unlike white, we believe also offers a touch of optimism. It’s a gentle reminder that even in quiet periods, color still has the power to soothe and lift us.”

Garden Media Group's 2026 pairings:

• White Wedding hydrangea
• Autumn Ivory Encore Azalea
• It’s a Breeze rose in ivory blush
• Thai Constellation monstera
• Jackson & Perkins Cloud 10 Climbing Rose
• Jackson & Perkins Clouds of Glory Hybrid Tea Rose

Arizona-based Francis Roses launched a direct-to-consumer platform, April & Ashley, designed to broaden the availability of this storied and beloved crop. (Read the full story here.)

The company is already seeing fresh energy around soft, dreamy neutrals — especially in home décor, tablescapes and everyday luxury.  

April & Ashley believes "there is a story behind every rose color, and for 2026, with the hue being white, that translates to the following meaning: purity, loyalty, new beginnings and sometimes young love."

April & Ashley’s 2026 rose pairings:

• White O'Hara
• Candlelight
• Floreana! Spray
  
• Alabaster
• Pillow Fight
• Inkandeszenz
• Royal Viking

Terra Nova Nurseries also released a list of companion plants for Cloud Dancer.

“Cloud Dancer’s calming character naturally aligns with Terra Nova’s 2026 companion plant selections,” said Chuck Pavlich, director of new product development at Terra Nova Nurseries. “The color’s discrete hue resonates through each variety, helping create plant combinations that feel ethereal, thoughtfully composed and ideal for landscape professionals and gardeners looking to introduce moments of harmony into their outdoor environments.”

Terra Nova's 2026 pairings:

• Echinacea ‘Fragrant Angel’
• Helleborus North Star ‘Crystalline’
• Heucherella ‘Peach Tea’
• Leucanthemum ‘Coconut’
• Penstemon Nova ‘Pearl’
• Plectranthus Nova ‘Brilliant’
• Thalictrum Nimbus ‘White’

Additionally, Proven Winners released a list of companion plants for the 2026 Pantone Color of the Year, with the plant company describing the color as "an airy, peaceful white that reflects endless opportunities for garden inspiration" that "reflects both the serenity and the possibilities a garden holds.

"Not only will Cloud Dancer be prevalent in 2026, it also fits perfectly into popular styles like cottage gardening, moon gardens, meadow gardening and minimalist or monochromatic gardening," the company said. "Offering display examples to inspire shoppers such as pairing white flowers and plants with evergreens, silvery foliage or bolder pops of color can help consumers see the possibilities in their own homes and gardens. A newsletter, social media graphic or blog post with suggestions on how to best use this much-talked- about shade of white can also help spark ideas for the coming spring. The possibilities are endless with this neutral shade in 2026."

Proven Winners' 2026 pairings:

• Superbena Whiteout Verbena
• Laguna Cloud White Lobelia
• Amazing Daisies Daisy May Leucanthemum
• ‘Firefly Diamond’ Achillea
• Incrediball Storm Proof Hydrangea arborescens
• Perfecto Mundo Double White Rhododendron
• Prismacolor White Wizard Philodendron

For Proven Winners' full list, visit bit.ly/ProvenWinnersCloudDancer