Among horticultural crops, ornamental plants represent the most diversified sector in terms of genetic diversity (species, cultivars) and markets (cut flowers, plants in pots or for gardens, bulbs, shrubs). In France, the value of imported ornamental plants is 14 times greater than the value of the corresponding exports. These plants can harbor viruses that could cause serious damage in more economically important species, in particular vegetable and fruit crops, and thus present a potential source of new viral diseases. Serological and molecular diagnostic tools are effective for detection of known viruses, but considering the ever increasing number of ornamental species, their rapid turnover, and the scope of their trade worldwide, it is critical to develop means to also detect plant viruses that are not current targets of sanitary surveillance in a manner as exhaustive as possible. Further, viruses under quarantine restriction are of particular concern. In this study, we present a novel strategy for detecting known and unknown viruses of various genome types, including viroids, in a diverse panel of ornamental plants.