Why Experts Say Cut Flowers Are Rising in Popularity
August 9, 2022 
Growers filled a ballroom to hear about the cut flower market at Cultivate’22. Two experts from Ball Seed Company hosted a session called “New Varieties and Key Production Tips for North American Cut Flower Growers” on July 19. Regional Sales Manager Jose Sanchez and Business Integration Manager Andrew Lee shared production advice with growers and noted a few popular varieties of cut flowers.
Cut flowers were a big deal 20 to 30 years ago, Lee said — then there was a significant lull in production. About 10 to 15 years ago, cut flowers became popular again, leading to a large increase in the number of cut flower growers. The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG) is very active, Lee said, and their membership has grown by 20% every year for the last five years.
Before an operation delves into the cut flower market, growers must ask themselves three questions — where and how they will grow, what they will grow, and where they will sell the flowers, Lee said.
“About 30% to 40% of cut flower sales to florists are not just cut flowers,” Lee said. “It’s greens, foliage, and fillers.”
For all cut flowers, Sanchez said the spacing affects the thickness of the stem. When flowers are planted farther away from each other, they will have a thick stem. When crops are planted near each other, they will have a thinner stem. If cut flowers will not be grown outdoors, hoop houses are a popular and inexpensive option, Lee said.
Cut Flower Varieties
Sunflowers are trending as cut flowers. SunKing sunflowers are fully double and golden yellow. Bicolor sunflowers, such as Helianthus ‘Marley’ and Helianthus ‘Ziggy’ from Takii, are also rising in popularity. They have a long day flowering type, and the amount of sunlight affects their bicolor strength. More sunlight will lead to a stronger bicolor appearance. These sunflowers can be grown from the spring to the summer or the summer into the fall.
- Brassica Crane Ruffle Series from Takii is a cool-season crop. The kale will begin to color when the nights are 50°F or below, Sanchez said.
- Sakata Ornamentals and Takii are leading the breeding for lisianthus, Sanchez said. Lisianthus varieties are popular for cut flowers, but growers must grow them in clean soil. Lisianthus is susceptible to diseases, so growers should plant them in clean soil or wait eight years and fumigate the soil. Lee also suggested starting lisianthus and eucalyptus with plugs instead of seeds.
- Matthiola ‘Katz’ from PanAmerican Seed is best for field and high tunnel production. Breeders are currently working to develop new varieties that will be more heat-tolerant and grow for a longer season, Sanchez said.
- A few other popular varieties include Ranuculus ‘Romance Courchevel’ from Green Works, Lepidium ‘Green Dragon’ from Danziger, and Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) ‘Potomac’ from PanAmerican Seed. Lee warned growers that the increasing demand for dahlias will lead to a shortage for the second year in a row.
For more information on growing cut flowers, Sanchez and Lee said growers should visit ascfg.com, thegardenersworkshop.com, growingformarket.com, and breeders’ websites.
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