Exotic Flowers Flourish As Demand For Roses Wilt
February 16, 2015 | 1 min to read
CHICAGO – Forget spray roses and baby's breath this Valentine's Day. As consumers' tastes in bouquets turn to seasonal, delicate blooms, some of the US floral industry's imports of classic fare have wilted.
Nearly 80 percent of all cut flowers used in bouquets and to make floral arrangements in the United States are imported, with South America dominating the sector, according to federal Agriculture Department data.
While the volume of fresh cut roses – a Valentine's Day favourite – flown in from Colombia crept up 2 percent last year, spray roses fell l6 percent and lilies were down 17 percent.
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