People in this industry tend to associate Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport with freighters and kerosene, rather than with flowers.
But the airport authority is planning to change this perception, getting ready to plant peonies for export.
As these flowers are popular for weddings, there is solid international demand, noted airport director Jim Szczesniak.
Peonies grown in Alaska bloom later than those from further south, so Alaskan growers have a window in which they face virtually no competition, he pointed out.
So the airport authority concluded it may as well get active on the growing side and has planted some tests beds on a patch of land on the perimeter.
According to Mr Szczesniak, the results were good, so some land has now been designated for growing peonies.
“In 2020. we plan to go to market,” he said.
