Flower supply depleted following rain

Crops throughout Hawai’i were hurt by the recent rainfall, including flowers.

“Of course, I cannot speak for all of them, but certain areas got really flooded bad, so some of those lei flower plants probably got heavy damage,” said Eric Tanouye, Green Point Nurseries and Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association president. “Lei flowers might be short this month, this Mother’s Day period, because the plants just cannot come back that fast.”

“Local flowers are from Waianae, Waimanalo, and yes, we were impacted,” said Shirley Magaoay, owner of Shirley’s Flowers in Chinatown. “Of all the local flowers, especially pikake, we had a short supply.”

But that’s not the case for all flowers, outlook for production on Hawaii island, more sun is on the way, meaning less doom and gloom, and more bloom. “You should still see, hopefully, some abundance of tropical flowers, anthuriums, speaking for us,” said Jon Tanouye, Green Point Nurseries production manager. “Anthuriums will hopefully be ready and available with the good weather we’re having, and hopefully all other crops.”