The same things hurting farms across the country are impacting Hawaii flower growers: cheaper labor costs abroad and the reluctance of a younger generation to take up the family trade.
The story flower growers tell Civil Beat is one of years of declines in lei flowers and potted plants. Growers hit by competition in mainland markets and a drop in demand caused by the recession now face an uncertain future.
The globalization of the tropical flower market has been happening for decades, as Thai growers adopted Hawaiian techniques. Even the quintessentially Hawaiian flower lei sold to tourists in Honolulu are likely to have been made in Thailand.
One popular lei flower, the dendrobium orchid, has been in decline for years.
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