J.P. Varvarigos, AAF, stood under the crisp morning light in the Bogotá, Colombia savannah, walking rows of flowers at a farm. The Florida florist was in Colombia for the first time for the international flower trade show Proflora, and the visit left a mark.
“Just seeing how much actual manual labor goes into growing these flowers — how well the workers are treated, with medical care, laundry services, schools for their kids — that made me feel good about where my money goes,” said Varvarigos, who owns Wellington Florist.
That mix of awe, insight and personal connection defined Proflora 2025, which drew more than 7,000 visitors from 60 countries to Bogotá’ Oct. 1–3. The biennial event, hosted by Asocolflores, the Colombia flower exporters association, showcased Colombia’s leadership in floriculture while reflecting evolving market demands — from more sustainable supply chains to deeper transparency and design-driven innovation.
“Proflora is a clear example of the effort and success of Colombian flower growers and reflects their ability to adapt to the changing challenges of international markets,” said Augusto Solano, president of Asocolflores. “This event combines hospitality, innovation, and business opportunities, enabling strategic alliances and strengthening the international presence of Flowers of Colombia.”
Carnations Rise Again
Among the standout examples of product innovation was the renewed focus on carnations. Geoflora, one of Colombia’s leading carnation growers, offered a behind-the-scenes look at their operations and breeding during a pre-show farm tour. SB Talee, its breeding division, each year starts with 50,000 seedlings — but fewer than 30 make it to market. Breeders are specifically looking for unique, strong varieties with a long vase life, says SB Talee CEO Celiar Noreña.
“We run tests of long storage, simulating six-week container shipments,” he explained. “We are shipping containers six weeks to , so we need the flowers to last.”
Another challenge is breeding years in advance for trends. For instance, a delicate, small single-petal spray carnation that was developed 60 years ago never made it to market because growers didn’t like them, said Sandra Media, director of research and development at SB Talee.
“Everybody was looking for big double flowers,” she said. “We were all selecting big double flowers and then someone said, let’s try . And now everyone loves this.”
Dianthusland Builds Momentum
The heightened interest in carnations is also driving collaboration. A coalition of breeders launched the new Dianthusland initiative, designed to bring coordinated attention to carnations.
“We want to position the dianthus in the United States as the most important flower,” said Daniela Botero, who represents Breier Cross, a dianthus breeder. “But until now, breeders were working alone. We’re coming together to change that.”
The initiative is being driven by several young female professionals at nine breeding companies who see untapped potential in the category. In particular, they’re focusing on the U.S. market, citing the dianthus’ wide color range, long vase life, and ease of transport as key advantages.
The group is also organizing Dianthus Week, slated for March 9–15, 2026, where the breeders will open their facilities to showcase new varieties and production techniques. The format mirrors successful events like Chrysanthemum Week and is designed to offer U.S. buyers a more concentrated and compelling way to engage with carnation innovation.
“Dianthus is incredibly versatile,” Botero said. “We see it in bouquets, as focal flowers, even in retail-ready bunches. We believe it can do much more.”
Variety Show with a Purpose
The Outstanding Varieties Competition, a major feature of Proflora, highlighted 436 entries from 56 companies.
“The new varieties developed by breeders strengthen global competitiveness,” said Solano. “They offer more resilient, adaptable, and high-quality flowers, and foster investment in research that ensures continuous innovation and profitability.”
Judges looked for innovation, quality, durability and visual impact. Winners included:
- Grand & Grower Champion: Chrysanthemum ‘Baltazar Candle’ – Flores El Capiro
- Breeder Champion: Alstroemeria ‘Monza’ – HilverdaFlorist
- People’s Choice: Standard Carnation ‘SHD Burgundy White’ – SB Talee de Colombia
Sustainability Partnership Announced
The continued dedication to sustainability practices on Colombian farms was seen not only during farm tours, but also in the announcement of a new partnership between Florverde Sustainable Flowers, an independent certification program in Colombia, and Greenhouse Sustainability, a Dutch organization that develops methodologies and tools to measure environmental footprints.
The partnership will provide 220 Florverde-certified farms in Colombia and Ecuador — with more than 9,000 hectares — with a tool to track the environmental impact at the product level.
“This alliance with Greenhouse Sustainability environmental footprint is going to be really important,” Solano said during the announcement. “It’s the next step for Florverde and sustainability in the flower industry.”
Florverde has been a catalyst for sustainability in the past three decades — including social sustainability. Thanks to its programs, female farm workers — who make up 60% of the workforce — are supported with services such as on-site breast cancer screenings, leadership classes, housing assistance and more.
Stories Drive Sales
For U.S. retailers like Varvarigos, those sustainability efforts aren’t just good ethics — they’re good business.
“A lot of people assume flower workers are exploited. That couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said. “One farm does their employees’ laundry on Sundays so they can actually rest. These are things I can tell my customers, and I’ll absolutely share those stories.”
Amanda Jedlinsky is the senior director of content and communications for the Society of American Florists.
