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Looking back at May 1-15

New flower collection for men sparks strong buzz

How was the beginning of May this year? Historically, flowers have been marketed predominantly to and for women. But a floral studio in Los Angeles launched a collection to challenge that idea. Also, the Dutch Spring Trials took place, where eight breeders showcased the latest novelty assortments to growers, retailers and industry peers. Let's take a look!

© Anton Cherentsov

US (LA): New flower collection for men sparks strong buzz

Historically, flowers have been marketed predominantly to and for women. But in March 2025, Kvitkova Vanil, a floral studio in Los Angeles, launched Savage Bloom to challenge that idea. "It is our first floral collection designed specifically with men in mind, blending strong, sculptural arrangements with unexpected textures and palettes. The goal is to celebrate masculinity in all its forms and to make luxury florals an accessible and meaningful gift for everyone, regardless of gender", says the company's Olga Volkova. And since its launch, the collection has seen a noticeable increase in demand.

© Mirthe Walpot | FloralDaily.com

Photo report: Dutch Spring Trials

The Dutch Spring Trials – also known as the Pack Trials – are taking place this week, where eight breeders are showcasing the latest novelty assortments to growers, retailers and industry peers. Visitors traveled from as far afield as Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Canada, with the majority coming from across Europe, eager to explore the latest developments in pot and bedding plants. Also our colleagues of BPnieuws weer attending the trails and made a photo report.

© Lovelyday12 | Dreamstime

USDA releases $1.2 billion in funding for specialty crops

Certified American Grown (CAG) has applauded the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the second round release of $1.2 billion in funding through the Market Access and Specialty Crop (MASC) Resiliency Program.

© Amerigo Farms Inc.

"Strengthening and advancing Clematis production in the U.S."

Traditionally, much of the U.S. Clematis supply has relied on imported young plants. With rising logistics costs, phytosanitary risks, and tariff concerns, there is a growing need for high-quality, U.S.-grown alternatives. "At Amerigo Farms, we are proving that domestic Clematis production is not only possible but also scalable and sustainable," says Dinesh Chaudhari, Head Grower and Production Manager at this Florida-based farm. The farm produces finished crops and potted plants, including calla lilies, poinsettias, tropical foliage, and, since 2023, when it took over Roseville Farms, Clematis propagation and finished plants. "This acquisition was both an exciting opportunity and a major responsibility. Roseville had built a reputation for quality, and our goal was not just to maintain that standard but to elevate it."

© Mekonnen Solomon W

Ethiopia: The struggle to realize Bahir Dar's potential

Over the past decade, Ethiopia aimed to scale up production and improve logistics—particularly through the Bahir Dar Horticulture Development Cluster in the Tana River Basin. With ideal conditions for crops like flowers, the area was supported by a modern perishable cargo terminal built in 2006 to enable direct flights to Liège, Belgium. The goal was to reduce transport costs and boost competitiveness. Yet today, the terminal remains underutilized, and direct flights never took off. Instead, the government continues to subsidize costly inland transport, an approach critics call wasteful, arguing that land should be better allocated to private companies. In this article, Mekonnen Solomon W., working at Ethiopia Ministry of Agriculture reflects on the project's missed potential, calling it a "collective weakness of will."

© Hoja Verde

A mixed Mother's Day season for Ecuadorian roses

The Mother's Day season has been both challenging and rewarding for Ecuadorian rose grower Hoja Verde. Persistent wet, humid, and low-light conditions impacted flower quality, forcing the farm to discard a portion of its production as it did not meet their quality standards. Despite this, stem volume remained consistent with last year, and improved demand, longer stem lengths, and stronger pricing helped drive an approximate 8% increase in sales. This is according to Hernan Davila, Corporate Sales Manager. And the season isn't over yet, as Mother's Day celebrations in countries like France, Sweden, and Poland are still ahead, keeping the shipping window and market activity open through the end of May.

© Laurent Fleur

"We see this becoming a top 10 product in the flower market"

To meet rising demand, Dutch grower Laurens van den Oord of Laurant Fleur has nearly doubled the production area for Queen® Kalanchoe CutFlowers. The first flowers from the expanded greenhouse are now being harvested.

Ecuador: Mother's Day sales challenged by climate

Although Ecuador has had a good year overall so far, the floral sector has faced persistent product shortages during the Mother's Day sales season, explains Boris Mantilla of SoBella, an Ecuadorian flower export company. "The primary cause has been the weather: a lack of sunlight and extreme events, such as the hailstorm that, just before the season began, destroyed a significant portion of crops in Cayambe and Tabacundo. This not only reduced the availability of flowers but also impacted the profitability of many farms."

© Above All Flowers

US: "It looks like our best peony season yet"

"Quality is excellent this year. We did not lose any flowers to frost or a major freeze in lateMarch or early April. So the weather worked in our favor", says David Kaplan of Above All Flowers, who markets peonies from North Carolina, Oregon, and Alaska. "Also, due to less competition from abroad, U.S. peony prices are stable. So, so far, it is a very pleasing season as it looks like Above All Flower's best peony season yet."

© Elita Vellekoop | FloralDaily.com

High flower prices dominate Mother's Day headlines in the US

With Mother's Day approaching, local media across the U.S. are buzzing with stories about rising flower costs, and the main culprit is tariffs.