Do You Know Where Your Flowers Come From?

Originally written for Bedford Magazine, May/June 2019

Most of us have no idea where the flowers in our vases come from. In fact, the US imports almost 80 percent of flowers sold. The vast majority comes from Colombia, driven by the suspension of US import duties on Colombian flowers in 1991. According to Smithsonian, in an effort to solve one problem—the import of cocaine— the US government created a new one—the demise of our flower industry.

Government incentives were used to limit coca farming in Colombia and support flower farming instead. It worked. According to the US International Trade Commission, in 1988 more than 60 percent of US flowers were grown in America. This number is now down to 20 percent. Even more alarming is that in order to ensure that the flowers are not rejected by Customs, there is high use of pesticides to prevent any disease or blemish.

This has fueled a growing movement to support the American flower industry. It’s called Slow Flowers, and it embraces much of the same principles as the familiar Slow Food movement—support local, sustainably grown, and the connection to the farmer.

National directories such as SlowFlowers.com can help locate local flower farms, along with florists committed to using local, sustainably grown flowers.

Some of these, such as Sweet Earth Co., offer floral design services, as well as weekly flower subscriptions. Many local Northern Westchester florists and shops (Hedgerow, Perennial Gardens, and The Market at Pound Ridge Square) have also started buying some of their inventory from local farmers.

With the support of consumers, locally grown flowers can fill many more vases!