New Hampshire Flowers - Floral Industry Economics

National Poinsettia Cultivar Trials

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 04:47:04

The National Poinsettia Cultivar Trials were established in an effort to bring a thorough body of research and information to poinsettia growers across the country.

The site contains recomendations for growing poinsettia cultivars useful to large commercial growers as well as small specialty growers and home gardeners.

The research is the result of efforts by:

Universities:

Commercial Site:

Homewood Nursery, NC

Commercial Breeders:

Read more about the National Poinsettia Cultivar Trials.

Purdue University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 04:47:04

Purdue University Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

The Purdue University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture is a leader in ornamental horticulture research and education.

Consumer publications available include:

General Horticulture
Flowers And Houseplants

Garden And Patio Flowers
Houseplants
Flower Arranging

Fruits And Nuts
Landscape Management
Vegetables
Multimedia Resources

Dummen Plant Breeders Info

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 04:47:04

Dummen Plant Breeders

Dummen is an international breeder of poinsettias and other flowers. The headquarters is in Germany and operates worldwide.

The USA office is in Hilliard, OH.

Dummen is also a major sponsor of university research on plant breeding and growth techniques.

The brand name of their flower varieties is Red Fox.

Dummen produces varieties of the following types of plants:

Poinsettias
Pelargonium
Geranium
Osteospermum
New Guinea Impatiens
Petunias
Begonias
Verbenas

Selectra First Class Plant Breeders Info

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 04:47:04

Selectra First Class is an international plant breeding company with a high technology plant breeding unit called Ornamental Bioscience. Selectra is a leading breeder of poinsettias as well as many other types of flowers.

The Ornamental Bioscience unit was formed in a merger with Mendel Biotechnology. Mendel has discovered ways to control flowering in poinsettias and other flowers that make them easier to grow.

Read more about Selectra First Class Plant Breeders.

Fischer Plant Breeders

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 04:47:04

Fisher USA is a leading breeder of poinsettias, impatiens and geraniums. They have over 400 varieties of flowers they sell to greenhouse growers all over North America.

Fisher is also a leading sponsor of university research on poinsettias as well as other types of flowers.

Their website has many useful resources for home gardeners as well as professional growers.

Oglevee Ltd a Leading Flower Variety Producer

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 04:47:04

Oglevee Ltd is a leading producer of flower cultivars (varieties). Oglevee has an in-house breeding department and evaluates varieties submitted by breeders worldwide. The policy of Oglevee is to sell the best varieties regardless of the source.

Oglevee also sponsors university research on flowers.

Oglevee sells the following types of flowers:

Begonias
Carnations
Geraniums
Impatiens
Kalanchoes
Poinsettias
Streptocarpus

Oglevee's web site has a great deal of information about growing these types of flowers for both professional growers and home gardeners.

Read more about Oglevee Ltd Flower Variety Producer.

Texas Poinsettia Producers Guide

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 04:47:04

The Texas A & M University Agricultural Extension Service has produced a great resource for growing poinsettias. The information aims specifically at growing conditions in Texas but is very useful for growing poinsettias anywhere.

Topics at the Texas Poinsettia Producers Guide site include:

Poinsettia History
Poinsettia Forms and Styles
Poinsettia Economics and Marketing
Poinsettia Cultural Characteristics
Poinsettia Cultivars
Production Schedule
Poinsettia Height Control
Selecting a Poinsettia Growing Medium
Poinsettia Water Quality
Poinsettia Irrigation
Poinsettia Nutrition
Insect and Mite Management
Poinsettia Diseases and Control
Common Poinsettia Disorders
Conversion Tables for Growers and Gardeners
Additional Poinsettia References

Read more about Texas Poinsettia Producers Guide.

The Poinsettia Monopoly in America

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 04:47:04

The virtual monopoly on commercial poinsettia production by the Paul Ecke family for almost 80 years is a great example of floral industry economics.

Paul Ecke developed a technique for making poinsettias grow multiple branches from a single stem. The creates a fuller more colorful poinsettia plant we are accustomed to seeing at Christmas.

The Ecke family kept this a secret of poinsettia cultivation until around 1996 when university researchers were able to independently make the same discovery.

The result has been good for consumers, since poinsettias are much more plentiful and therefore less expensive than before.

Read more about the Poinsettia Monopoly in America.

Poinsettia Origins

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 04:47:04

Poinsettias are a Christmas tradition throughout the Americas. The plant is native to Southern Mexico and Central America.

A poinsettia growing wild in Belize.

Poinsettias are named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States ambassador to Mexico, who introduced the plant in the U.S. in 1825.

Paul Ecke of Encinitas, California was responsible for the technological advance that made poinsettias a successful commercial plant. One key to poinsettia profits is getting the plants to grow so that multiple branches come off one stem, creating a fuller, more colorful plant.

Poinsettias carefully cultivated for Christmas.

The Eckes' technique, which involved grafting two varieties of poinsettia together, made it possible to get every seedling to branch. Ecke had perfected this poinsettia secret before 1910 and his family had a virtual poinsettia monopoly for about 80 years. Around 1996 a university researcher made the same discovery and made the technique public.

Since then the Eckes Poinsettia Ranch has adapted and now is a great source of technical assistance and research funding for both commercial growers and consumers.

Paul Ecke Poinsettia Ranch

Sat, 25 Nov 2006 04:47:04

The Paul Ecke Poinsettia Ranch had a virtual monopoly of poinsettias that lasted almost 80 years. About 1996 university researchers finally discovered the process to grow poinsettias with many colorful blooms.

This grower is still a major player in the poinsettia market. The Paul Ecke Poinsettia Ranch website has a great deal of technical information for growing poinsettias on a commercial scale. The Paul Ecke Poinsettia Ranch also has developed a large number of varieties or cultivars of poinsettias.

Read more about the Paul Ecke Poinsettia Ranch.

Reasons to Buy Grower Direct Flowers

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 04:47:04

Grower direct flowers provide you with very fresh cut flowers at a very reasonable price.

Here are some reasons to buy grower direct flowers:

Grower direct flowers save you money
Grower direct flowers are fresher on average
Grower direct flowers have a wider delivery area than traditional florists

Read more about Reasons to Buy Grower Direct Flowers.

Grower Direct vs Florist Arranged Flowers

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 04:47:04

Florists earn the money they make by providing you with both products and services. The flowers are their product and arranging them, storing them and delivering them are some of the services.

Growers provide you with a product, the flowers and materials to arrange them. Delivery is done by a shipping company such as FedEx. Delivering with a shipping service means a much wider coverage area for grower direct deliveries than traditional florists.

The comparison chart below should help decide which is best for you.

Why Grower Direct Flowers Save You Money

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 04:47:04

Florists earn the money they make by providing you with both products and services. The flowers are their product and arranging them, storing them and delivering them are some of the services.

Growers provide you with a product, the flowers and materials to arrange them. Delivery is done by a shipping company such as FedEx. Delivering with a shipping service means a much wider covarage area grower direct deliveries than traditional florists.

Buying direct from the grower saves you money for several reasons:

You are not buying the service of arranging the flowers
The flowers don't have to be stored
Fewer flowers are wasted
Shipping is more efficient

Buying Florist Flowers Online

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 04:47:04

Buying flowers by visiting an online florist's web site is probably for you if:

You are pressed for time
You want an artistic and appropriate arrangement for the occasion
Online florists rank high for reliability and customer satisfaction
The online florist's covarage area includes the delivery address

Read more about Buying Florist Flowers Online.

Protect Yourself From Flower Fraud

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 04:47:04

Your local florist is just a phone call away, or so you think. Some unscrupulous telemarketing firms are posing as local florists, charging you higher fees and taking business away from legitimate florists in your town.

Selling flowers through a wire service or order taking service is a legitamate way to do business. Many top growers and florists use this business model.

However, deceiving customers into thinking they are ordering from a local florist is not legitamate.

Ornamental and Floral Growers

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 04:47:04

"Ornamental and Floral" is the general term for any farmer who is growing flowers or other ornamental plants as a crop. Often, growers produce vegetables as well as flowers at different times of year. Growing flowers is an important international agricultural business. Growing flowers has much in common with growing a crop like strawberries since both are highly perishable and must be properly stored and shipped.

You can often save money and get better flowers by buying directly from the grower.

Floral Marketing Media

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 04:47:04

The floral business is very competitive so flowers are marketed heavily in all local and national media. This includes, television, radio, magazines, newspapers, direct mail, billboards and increasingly, the Internet.

Floral Supply Manufacturers

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 04:47:04

Growing flowers is advanced agriculture and requires a staggering variety equipment and supplies. Everything from fertilizer to ribbon falls into this category. Likewise, a great deal of specialized equipment and supplies are needed by a floral shop. Unless you plan to grow flowers or learn to arrange flowers, you probably will never buy directly from this type of business.

Floral Delivery Services

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 04:47:04

Unless you are willing and able to deliver the flowers yourself you are going to be using a delivery service. Almost all local florists have delivery vans and are very reliable at making deliveries in their area. Growers and many online providers use Fed Ex, UPS or DHL to deliver flowers.

Floral Industry Economics

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 04:47:04

The floral industry is a complex business. The complexity begins with the fact that growing flowers is a type of farming and flowers are difficult to grow, handle and ship.

Florists

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 04:47:04

Florists are the traditional link the public has with the floral business. Most local florists are small businesses with well under $1 million per year in sales. They care for and store flowers, take orders, make floral arrangements, make deliveries and all the hundreds of other tasks required to run a business.

In addition to having a large variety of technical and business skills, a successful florist must also be highly artistic.

When buying directly from a local florist you have 3 options:

Buy flowers by visiting a florist's shop
Buy flowers by phoning the florist's shop
Buy flowers by visiting the florist's web site

Choosing a Florist The Right Fit

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 04:47:04

The Society of American Florists recommends:

Look for a floral shop that offers the product mix, level of service and design style that fit your needs.

But what does this mean?

Choosing a Florist Personal Attention

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 04:47:04

The Society of American Florists recommends:

Personal Attention: Choose a florist who will get to know you, keep track of your floral preferences and send reminders of upcoming special occasions.

There are many benefits of getting personal attention from a florist. Florists have a wealth of knowledge about flowers and can help you make the right choices when buying flowers.

Different florists have different ways of running their business. Some florists specialize in arrangements and projects that require spending a great deal of time with each customer. Other florists specialize in elegant arrangements that can be made quickly and that will be pleasing to anyone.

Obviously, you will have different needs if you are planning a wedding than if you are just picking up some flowers for a spur of the moment gift.

Floral Wire Services

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 04:47:04

The largest wire services are FTD and Teleflora. They have been around for almost 100 years and have over 30,000 florists in their networks. In recent years they have focused more and more on using the Internet for their marketing and business infrastructure.

For most consumers, wire services are the best way to order flowers. They are very reliable and in independent tests, flowers ordered through wire services were of the highest quality. Local florists are going to make sure that wire service orders are correctly filled. The reason? Florists with too many complaints are dropped from the wire service's network. This is a disaster for most local florists, so they avoid it at all costs.