Conference brings national peony experts to Fairbanks
July 19, 2010
907-474-5042
7/19/10
Although the peak peony season has passed in Fairbanks, the flowers will be the sole focus of a conference July 21-24 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Experts in floriculture, specialty cut flowers, high tunnels, nutrition, soils, plant diseases, breeding and post-harvest care will attend from universities and businesses across the nation.
On the first day, participants will tour the Georgeson Botanical Garden, Polar Peonies, Basically Basil, Spinach Creek Farm and Lilyvale Farm. The second day will be a symposium in the Elvey Auditorium on the UAF campus. Topics will include an overview of specialty cut flowers, the peony industry, research needs, marketing, field production, pest management, breeding and more. Registration for the Wednesday tour or the Thursday symposium is $50 a day or $75 for both days. Call 907-474-5651 for details and to register.
“This is Flowers 101,” said Patricia Holloway, a horticulture professor at UAF and director of the Georgeson Botanical Garden. “This will give people a good background on peonies.”
Holloway considers peony blossoms the most economically valuable plant in Alaska.
“It’s the first agricultural export with a huge potential,” she said. “I am getting calls from London for peonies.”
Currently, 41 producers grow peonies in the state, from Fairbanks to Homer, and more are joining the ranks each year. Of those, 13 have 500 or more peony plants.
To conclude the conference activities, experts and growers will brainstorm ideas to help prepare a proposal for a USDA specialty crop research grant. The goal is to discover exactly what is necessary to market peonies, extend the seasons and explore cut flower opportunities. The conference was funded by UAF Center for Research Services and hosted by the Georgeson Botanical Garden and the Alaska Peony Growers Association.
ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Marmian Grimes, UAF public information officer, at 907-474-7902 or via e-mail at marmian.grimes@alaska.edu.
ON THE WEB: www.uaf.edu/snras/gbg
NT/7-19-10/010-11