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| April showers bring May flowers in Oregon | ||
| 05/07/2008 | ||
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Oregon ranks 11th in the nation in floriculture production From tulips to irises, spring owes much of its color to Oregon floriculture. After a cool April, flowers are finally blooming throughout the state and so are sales of flowering plants from any of the several growers who make a living through floriculture. Cut flowers, potted flowering plants, and bedding plants are all part of perhaps the most visible component of Oregon's $966 million nursery industry. For many Oregonians, all it takes is a drive down I-5 to see what it's all about. "Freeway travelers can begin to see the diversity of Oregon floriculture this time of year," says Gary McAninch, supervisor of the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Nursery and Christmas Tree Program. "Not long ago, tulips and daffodils were in bloom. Right now, irises are about to come into bloom. A little later in the summer, it will be time for dahlias. Many of these flowers seem to have an associated festival. It's great for the family to come out and enjoy the colors along with other activities." The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has recently released results of an annual floriculture survey. Nationally, the 2007 wholesale value of floriculture crops increased two percent at an estimated $4.1 billion. California is responsible for about 25 percent of the nation's production followed by Florida, Michigan, Texas, and New York. Oregon ranks 11th in the nation in value of floriculture, with 224 growers responsible for about $126 million in wholesale value. The statistics show bedding and garden plants with a wholesale value of $47 million, potted flowering plants at $21 million, cut flowers at nearly $12 million, and propagative materials, such as bulbs, at nearly $13 million. Floriculture may be a small slice of Oregon's number one agricultural commodity, but producers of these flowering plants have demonstrated excellent skills in delivering a specialty product. "Floriculture generates quite a bit of money for several Oregon businesses," says McAninch. People have already enjoyed some of the state's floricultural bounty, and there is more to come. Easter would have a different look without Oregon. Easter lilies are raised in greenhouses and sold at retail outlets throughout North America, but virtually all of the bulbs that give rise to the lovely white flowers come from Curry County on the south coast and its California neighbor, Del Norte County. Many Oregon growers welcome the public to experience the annual rite of spring flowers. Last month, the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm- located just outside Woodburn- held its 23rd annual Tulip Fest. The popular celebration attracts up to 150,000 visitors each year. Traffic jams are common along the country road as motorists gaze at the colorful fields of tulips and daffodils. Flowers picked from the field are sold on the farm, but most sales come from orders for bulbs after people have visited the festival. Up next will be blooming iris fields in Marion County. Two popular public attractions are Cooley's Gardens of Silverton, which holds the Peak Bloom Festival May 17 through June 1, and Schreiner's Iris Gardens north of Keizer. Both long-time family farms offer tours and public viewing areas. Cooley's started as a backyard hobby in 1928. Its display gardens have always been a destination for gardening enthusiasts. The company is fond of pointing out that Cooley's began as a public experience before it turned into a commercial producer- not the other way around. Schreiner's Iris Gardens has now been around more than 60 years and has marketed the iris bloom by adding a plant sale, flower show, picnic facilities, and gift shop. The company's tall bearded iris has won numerous national and international awards. Later in the year as the holiday season approaches, Oregon-grown poinsettias will be on display. Oregon has 16 producers of poinsettias who sold 523,000 pots in 2007 resulting in nearly $2.7 million in sales. Add the production of brightly-hued hanging baskets and bedding plants like begonias, geraniums, impatiens, marigolds, pansies, and petunias- it all adds up to the color of money for many Oregon growers. The annual Rose Festival is just a few weeks away. Portland is known as the City of Roses, even though the number of commercial rose producers in the metropolitan area has dropped over the years. The NASS survey does not include statistical information for Oregon's rose production. Then there is the relatively quiet, behind-the-scenes production of Oregon floriculture that ends up at retail outlets and ultimately in a person's home or garden. Producers such as Clackamas Greenhouses, Inc. of Aurora provide mostly indoor flowering plants to home and garden centers throughout the Pacific Northwest. Part of the lifestyle for many people is the use of flowers and plants in their homes and gardens. Still floriculture is like agriculture in general- it is now competing in a world market. Shipping costs are the main consideration. Oregon is ahead of the pack for certain types of flowering plants, usually leading the nation in production of potted florist azaleas, although New York last year took over the top spot for quantity. Seven Oregon producers last year sold more than 2.5 million pots resulting in $12 million in sales. Oregon still leads the nation in wholesale value of potted florist azaleas. "For us, the azaleas are big business because we can ship them throughout the country and Canada," says Tom Fessler of Woodburn Nursery and Azalea, Inc. "Many other types of flowering potted plants can only be shipped within a 500 mile radius. Our product ends up in grocery chain stores and wholesale florists. Other greenhouse operations throughout North America buy it, bloom it, and sell it locally." Perhaps the best showcase for local floriculture continues to be the Oregon Garden in Silverton. In one location, visitors can see a wide variety of flowers and other nursery products in resplendent display. While the garden is open year around, the next several weeks could be a wonderful time to simply smell the flowers. For more information, contact Bruce Pokarney at (503) 986-4559. Story of the Week pdf version http://oregon.gov/ODA/docs/pdf/news/080507flowers.pdf Audio Story of the Week http://oregon.gov/ODA/news/080507flowers_audio.shtml |
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