The Rose Plantations of Ecuador
Here we are in picturesque Ecuador. Everywhere we go we see indigenous people in their native dress. Mixed among all
this are huge nurseries. The nursery across from where we are staying in Hacienda Cusin has a million rose bush
plants. There are over 2,000 of these huge rose factory plantations in Ecuador.
Today we visited a plantation that specializes in long stem roses. Our personal guide was one of the engineers from the
plantation. This plantation has 540,000 rose bushes and sends out 14,000 rose bushes a day. 75% go to Europe and
25% to the United States.
this are huge nurseries. The nursery across from where we are staying in Hacienda Cusin has a million rose bush
plants. There are over 2,000 of these huge rose factory plantations in Ecuador.
Today we visited a plantation that specializes in long stem roses. Our personal guide was one of the engineers from the
plantation. This plantation has 540,000 rose bushes and sends out 14,000 rose bushes a day. 75% go to Europe and
25% to the United States.
The rose production
remains constant year
round as Ecuador is on the
equator. The engineers
spend a lot of time
managing watering,
fungus, and parasites.
The flowers are picked in
the morning.
remains constant year
round as Ecuador is on the
equator. The engineers
spend a lot of time
managing watering,
fungus, and parasites.
The flowers are picked in
the morning.
After the flowers are picked
they are sorted for quality
with the lowest quality
remaining in Ecuador. The
stems are trimmed of the
bottom leaves and thorns.
The woman (bottom right)
does the final packaging of
these flowers.
they are sorted for quality
with the lowest quality
remaining in Ecuador. The
stems are trimmed of the
bottom leaves and thorns.
The woman (bottom right)
does the final packaging of
these flowers.
After sorting and
packaging, the flowers
are stored in the
refrigerator room for six
hours before being
placed in boxes for
shipment (below).
The boxes are taken to
Quito where they are
loaded for their
destinations in Europe
and the US delivered
within 36 hours of being
cut.
packaging, the flowers
are stored in the
refrigerator room for six
hours before being
placed in boxes for
shipment (below).
The boxes are taken to
Quito where they are
loaded for their
destinations in Europe
and the US delivered
within 36 hours of being
cut.
On our final day in Ecuador, our driver delivered us to the Quito
airport at 4:50 a.m., two hours before our plane was scheduled to
depart. Lined up at the airport were many refrigerator trucks. The
driver informed us that these refrigerator trucks were all filled with
flowers ready to be shipped internationally. Presumably the cargo
area of our airplane contained some of these roses.
One wonders about the environmental impact. The heavy use of
insecticides and herbicides. All the airplane traffic over such long
distances. My public radio station which offers a dozen roses to my
sweetheart on Valentine's Day for a $100 contribution.
airport at 4:50 a.m., two hours before our plane was scheduled to
depart. Lined up at the airport were many refrigerator trucks. The
driver informed us that these refrigerator trucks were all filled with
flowers ready to be shipped internationally. Presumably the cargo
area of our airplane contained some of these roses.
One wonders about the environmental impact. The heavy use of
insecticides and herbicides. All the airplane traffic over such long
distances. My public radio station which offers a dozen roses to my
sweetheart on Valentine's Day for a $100 contribution.