Where Costco & Trader Joe's Buy Flowers: Colombia's Powerhouse Greenhouses
February 12, 2015 | 1 min to read
Walk by the bouquets in buckets at Costco, Trader Joe's or Walmart, and you may wonder how these mega stores can sell flowers for less than a buck.
The answer: Colombia.
About 20,000 acres — drenched in sun and rain — are devoted to growing roses, carnations and mums that will be cut, boxed and flown overnight to Miami and end up in a vase on your dining room table.
One farm alone, Flores El Trigal, in the Rionegro region outside of Medellin, sends 120 million stems a year to U.S. retailers, from Sam's Club to Whole Foods Market. About 175 acres of mountainous land is populated with plant or propagations for El Trigal, the largest flower grower in the region based on sales volume.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: The Oregonian/OregonLive