Carnation business flourished in Boulder – Boulder Daily Camera

Some say carnations are old-fashioned, as holiday floral arrangements have become more sophisticated over the years. But not long ago, Colorado carnations were the stars of the season.

Carnation growers discovered that Colorado’s abundant sunshine and cool summer nights produced enviable blossoms. Competition came from California, but critics agreed the Colorado-grown carnations were bigger and better.

Boulder farmers had carnations greenhouses as early as 1884. That’s when former Gold Hill miner John Brierley and his brother George built a greenhouse “at the mouth of Boulder Canyon” for carnations and other flowers and vegetables.

Later, greenhouses for flowers populated Broadway, with Sturtz & Copeland and Haenselman’s in central Boulder and Knudsen nursery greenhouses in north Boulder, among others. Sturtz & Copeland maintained six greenhouses, with one devoted entirely to carnations. At busy times, if they ran out, they put in a call to their competitors at Haenselman’s, and vice versa.

By the 1950s, carnations were a six million-dollar-a-year industry for the state. Carnations were hardy and they shipped well. Available in many colors, the blooms lasted for 10-14 days, and came with the distinctive clove-like scent. Colorado called itself the Carnation Capital of the World and Boulder growers were happy to be a part of the booming business.

Carnations became the official flowers for Mother’s Day, selected by the founder of the holiday because they were her own mother’s favorites. They were a popular choice for all occasions appearing in bridal bouquets, table centerpieces, funeral displays, and prom corsages. A bright color called William Sim red, introduced in 1946, became 35% of the Colorado market.

As First Lady in the 1950s, Colorado-raised Mamie Eisenhower reportedly received a standing order of 200 Colorado carnations from wholesalers that were displayed throughout the White House. Mamie helped make the flowers even more fashionable, including a ruffly creamy-white and red striped “peppermint” variety that some called “the Mamie.”

Carnations were given to all honored guests coming to visit. Pat Nixon was presented with a bouquet of carnations when she and then-Senator Richard Nixon landed in Colorado in 1952. Singer Marian Anderson received a large bunch of golden carnations from Doris Fleisher, executive secretary of the Colorado Flower Growers Association, when she arrived for a concert in 1959, and French ski champion Jean-Claude Killy was pinned with a carnation boutonniere when he came for races in Aspen in 1968.

Governor Dan Thornton opened Trail Ridge Road for the season by cutting through a rope of Colorado carnations.

A formal opening of the Harvest House Hotel in January 1960 began with “Ladies Day” where guests were greeted by manager Art Bazata, along with the reigning Miss Colorado Carnation, Lula Luce, who handed out tangerine and yellow carnations — the hotel’s harvest colors.

Several factors contributed to the collapse of the carnation industry. Greenhouses had to be heated during the winter months to keep the plants from freezing. Energy costs accounted for a large part of the overhead, a Daily Camera story reported. The energy crisis of the 1970s along with its skyrocketing prices forced many Colorado greenhouse out of business.

Simultaneously, producers in South America were able to grow and export flowers cheaper than Coloradans. Negotiations that removed an eight percent tariff for Columbian growers in 1991 effectively crushed the U.S. business.

For more than fifty years the carnation business prospered as a significant part of the economy. A holiday vase filled with Mamie peppermint carnations will help recall this delightful chapter in our history.

Carol Taylor and Silvia Pettem alternate the In Retrospect column. Taylor can be reached at carolellentaylor@gmail.com.