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An Interview with Lindsay and Tater from Bloom Beat

I’m sure many of you reading this newsletter have heard of Ball Publishing’s Bloom Beat, written by co-editors Lindsay Daschner and her four-legged companion Tater. Lindsay and Tater are the owners of Forget Me Not Farms in Ottawa Lake, Michigan, a wholesale flower operation catering exclusively to florists and event planners.  Lindsay’s journey with Tater is a reminder of the passion, spirit, and creativity it takes to succeed in the floral industry. At the American Floral Endowment, we’re dedicated to supporting growers like Lindsay by providing research, resources, and educational opportunities tailored to the unique challenges of flower farming. Whether it’s funding groundbreaking studies on crop production, offering webinars and other resources to help optimize production systems, or connecting growers…

Celebrating a 25-Year Partnership with Equiflor/Rio Roses

For 25 years, Equiflor/Rio Roses has proudly served as AFE’s Annual Event Flower Sponsor, generously providing stunning roses year after year. Their unwavering support reflects a deep commitment to advancing and supporting the floral industry. Even during the pandemic, Rio Roses continued their dedication by donating a year’s worth of roses to the #AFEandMe contest winner as part of our first-ever fully virtual campaign which helped raise over $80,000 to support floral advancements. Equiflor, a privately-owned company with over three decades of excellence, is a leading grower and distributor of fresh flowers. Established in 1986 as a family business, it has grown into a renowned brand recognized across the US and Canada. Their nationally branded fresh cut “Rio Roses” are…

Valentine’s Day 2025: Prep Tips & Trends

This article on Valentine’s Day 2025 comes from guest writer Gina Tarquinio, a floral designer based in the Philadelphia Suburbs and a member of our Young Professionals Council. This piece contains photos of some of Gina’s designs—you can see more here! Each year, Florists begin preparing earlier for the biggest day of the floral year: Valentine’s Day. This holiday is widely known for celebrating love and romance, with the most popular gifts to give being greeting cards, candy, and flowers. Flowers are our focus, which means finding ways to add other top sellers to the sale is a win-win situation for you and your customer. Your average order value will increase, and the customer can get all of their Valentine’s…

Gus Poesch Research Fund Supports the Next Generation of Researchers

The floral industry is constantly evolving, and supporting the next generation of researchers and leaders is essential to its continued growth. AFE programs strive to empower young industry members with opportunities to attend educational conferences where they can learn, network, and share their work with the wider floral community. Juan Quijia Pillajo, a member of our Young Professionals Council (YPC) and a Graduate Research Associate at The Ohio State University, recently received a grant from our Gus Poesch Research Fund that allowed him to travel to the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) Annual Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. AFE also proudly sponsored two key competitions at the event through educational grant funding, the Graduate Student Floriculture Oral Competition and the…

STEM-it Up²: An Immersive Professional Development Program Helping Agriscience Teachers Bloom

Floriculture is a popular course taught in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) programs across the nation. While most teachers associate floriculture with teaching their students how to design beautiful cut flower arrangements and bouquets, there is much more to the course — including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. STEM-it Up², a program funded in part by an American Floral Endowment educational grant, bridges the gap between STEM education and the floriculture industry by helping agriscience teachers learn how to integrate plant science technical concepts into innovative classroom curricula that highlight the benefits and career opportunities associated with the green industry. The SIU2 program is directed by Dr. Catherine DiBenedetto of Clemson University and Dr. Natalie Ferand of Virginia Tech.…

Bringing Floral Fragrance to New Heights

In the world of flowers, fragrance plays a huge role in providing a unique and special sensory experience. However, as we’ve bred flowers for color, longevity, and other desirable traits, fragrance has often been left behind. Many modern flowers, especially those grown in greenhouses or sold in floral markets, lack the intensity of fragrance that older varieties once had. Yet fragrance remains a highly valued trait, enhancing consumer enjoyment and satisfaction. Recognizing this, Dr. Thomas Colquhoun and his team at the University of Florida have turned to synthetic biology to enhance floral fragrance. In a recent breakthrough, researchers identified a gene from Caladium that can be used to enhance floral fragrance in other species. Caladium? Isn’t that a foliage plant?…

AFE Launches $2.5 Million Fundraising Campaign to Drive Floriculture Sustainability

The American Floral Endowment (AFE) is excited to announce the launch of a $2.5 million fundraising campaign to support Sustainabloom, a collaborative sustainability program created for the floral community. Initially established with seed funding from 10 forward-thinking organizations, Sustainabloom has expanded significantly providing sustainability resources for the industry. Sustainabloom is a comprehensive, industry-wide resource hub, launched in April 2024, designed to help businesses of any size advance their sustainability efforts. The program’s free resources are developed by top researchers and accessible to everyone in the industry supporting eco-friendly practices. These resources, which include comprehensive guides, assessment tools, government funding opportunities, and certification information, enable organizations to evaluate, initiate, or enhance their sustainability efforts for a more sustainable future. “Sustainability is no longer just…

2024-25 Grants Empowering Floral Industry Education

We are excited to announce that 19 organizations will receive educational grants from AFE in 2024-25, totaling $63,500. The funding will support these organizations as they conduct educational conferences, offer online and in-person training and certification programs, and expand awareness for the floral industry.  Our commitment to these programs supports a wide range of activities that strengthen the floral industry, from promoting awareness to the next generation to fostering continued education and resources for current industry members. “For over 60 years, the Endowment has helped fund educational programs and opportunities that are vital to advancing our industry,” said AFE Education Committee Chair Adam Van Winkle of Stadium Flowers.  “Through the support of our dedicated donors, we are able to continue…

AFE in Action: Recent Events and Highlights

September was filled with exciting events where AFE actively engaged with the industry, participating in multiple conferences and tours. Here's a recap of some key happenings! ASCFG Regional Conference: Boulder, Colorado (September 11-12) Dr. Jim Faust (Left), Laura Barth (Center), and Francesca Hand (right) AFE staff and researchers participated in the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG) Regional Conference, which took place in Boulder, Colorado. A highlight was the tour of The Fresh Herb Co., a local grower of cut flowers, culinary herbs, and succulents. During the conference, attendees benefited from presentations by industry-leading experts and researchers. During a special session, Dr. Jim Faust from Clemson University shared insights into his latest AFE-funded research, Biocontrol for Botrytis Management in…

An Incredible Experience: The Impact of the Arizona Retail Florist Travel Grant

Each year, through our Arizona Retail Florist Education Travel Grant, a retail florist is given the opportunity to attend an exciting in-person educational conference or event. Recently, Caroline Naylor, AzMF of Razzle Dazzle® Flowers & Gifts, attended the SAF Miami 2024 Conference with support from this fund.  Razzle Dazzle® Flowers & Gifts is a fully family-owned and operated business in Mesa, Arizona, run by Caroline and her two sisters, Clara and Marcella. All three sisters attended the convention and were able to ‘divide and conquer’ to participate in as many classes and educational sessions as possible. They are also celebrating their 20th Anniversary of opening their shop in 2024!  The Arizona Retail Floral Education Travel Grant was created to provide…

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