Sustainable Production Practices in Woody Cut Flower Markets

Woody cut branches are portions of trees or shrubs used for floral design or decorative purposes, including foliage, flowering branches, fruit and seeds, and bare stems and branches. Specialty cut flower growers add woody cut branches to their production line in order to diversify their products, expand their markets and extend market season. Within the cut flower market, woody cut branch materials represent a small but high value specialty product line. In the Mid-Atlantic region, local growers have not been able to compete in this market due to climate conditions, higher production costs and a comparatively small production scale. Moreover, horticultural experts agree that market research in woody cut flowers is greatly lacking. Therefore, more planning must be put into an appropriate marketing strategy, evaluate products that are unique, of local interest, difficult to ship, and suitable to local production climate. The purpose of this project is to conduct suitable research to provide baseline information to determine market preferences and identify new and efficient marketing strategies for this unique agricultural product, and to help Seaberry Farm, LLC, to become the premium woody cut flower supplier for the East Coast and ultimately establish a sustainable woody cut flower industry in the region.