In studies at UT, Starman and former graduate research assistants Teresa Cerny and Amy MacKenzie tested 20 annual and 20 perennial species over two consecutive growing seasons. The productivity and profitability of these field-grown specialty cut flowers were evaluated for the southeastern United States. Most florists prefer longer stems than are required for mass market outlets. A long-stemmed rose purchased from a florist is usually 36 inches. For those reasons, the more casual, garden-type flowers are becoming fashionable and are often sold by retailers such as grocery stores that cater to larger markets.
Cost is a factor, too.
In her research, Starman and her colleagues chose 15 inches as the minimum stem length acceptable for marketability. Starman cautions prospective growers to consider the importance of marketing. If you produce too many flowers at once, it may be difficult to sell them to wholesalers or retailers who need a constant supply 52 weeks of the year. It can be difficult to find someone to pick up your product on short notice. For their research, Starman, Cerny, and MacKenzie received the Kenneth Post Award, named for a well-known floriculture professor at Cornell.