Cut-Flower and Flowering Pot-Plant Production

Regions with warm climates have many advantages for flower production. The most significant of these advantages are the relatively high winter temperatures and the high light intensity. In many countries, inexpensive land and labor also play important roles in the development of ornamental horticulture. At the same time, since ornamental horticulture is a "high-tech" industry, programmed forcing of flowers demands extensive knowledge of the interactions between environmental conditions and crops, and of plant protection. Lack of knowledge of plant physiology, plant protection and growth technology can be the biggest disadvantages in flower production.
Plant species with chilling requirements are forced in many countries with a warm climate, both for local markets and for export. Examples of successful cooperation within the European market are the early harvest of Tulip and Allium cut flowers in outdoor fields in southern Italy, greenhouse production of lilies in Spain, and Eremurus, Allium, Anemone, Astilbe and Peony production in Israel. The chilling requirements of these species are fulfilled either during the winter (as in outdoor production in Italy and Israel), or by controlled cold storage of the bulbs prior to planting.