By LIBBY MIDDLEBROOK
One of the country's largest fresh flower exporters is collecting hydrangeas from bowling clubs, private gardens and highways to satisfy increasing global demand.
Auckland-based Eastern and Global has resorted to desperate collection methods after struggling to fill orders from America and Asia for the past 12 months.
Managing director Greg
Keymer said celebrity floral designers in America had made hydrangeas the latest "hot item." A recent export order for 15,000 hydrangeas received only 6000 stems.
"The US market's just gone crazy for them. While it's not difficult to grow hydrangeas in your back yard, it is difficult to get the right export quality," said Mr Keymer, who started exporting hydrangeas three years ago.
"We've got one guy in the South Island who's collecting hydrangeas all along the West Coast from the roadside to freight them to us."
Eastern and Global's hydrangea business contributed more than $1 million to the company's turnover of $18 million last year.
Mr Keymer said the company could easily double its 700,000 hydrangea-stem export business if it had sufficient blooms. The flowers fetch up to $2 each, depending on the size of the head.
"Because they're grown in people's back yards, there's an assumption that plenty are around, but the big issue with hydrangeas is that they get sun burnt. They need to be grown in the shade."
Eastern and Global exports more than 500 tonnes of flowers each year, mostly produced by about 600 growers.
Fresh flower exports contribute $60 million a year to the economy.
