Floral greens farmers in Florida are putting out a message to the floral industry: Two major hurricanes in the span of 11 months has been too much for farms to bear. As the growers hustle to mitigate damage, and protect current and future product, retail florists should expect a very tight supply of leatherleaf for Valentine’s Day.
“Leatherleaf supplies are at their lowest levels in 30 years,” said Jana Register of FernTrust in Seville, Florida. “We haven’t seen supply this tight since 1985, when we experienced a freeze just before Valentine’s Day.”
Growers in Florida were first hit hard by Hurricane Matthew, in October 2016, but they received another wallop this fall, from Hurricane Irma.
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