Shipments of blue carnations start for Mother’s Day

May 3, 2018

Shibayama, Chiba Pref.- A warehouse in Shibayama near Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture, eastern Japan, started on Wednesday shipments of blue carnations for Mother's Day on May 13.

Roughly 900,000 flowers will be distributed to about 5,000 florists nationwide over the next week.

In 1995, a company affiliated with Suntory Holdings Ltd. genetically engineered the blue carnations, which do not grow in the wild.

Due to their popularity, shipments are expected to be 110,000 more than the year-before level.

Blue carnations come in six variations, according to the color gradation and blooming pattern.

Grown in countries in South America, such as Colombia and Ecuador, the flowers are imported via the Narita airport. Jiji Press