Carnations: A California city's past

December 16, 2010

Redondo Beach, a tourist and resort town located on the Pacific coast in California, once had a much different landscape than it does today.

The locale, which was known as the "Carnation City," was a major grower of the blooms in the 1800s, until urban sprawl and new subdivisions caused and end to the industry in the 1950s, according to RedondoBeach.Patch.com.

The news source reports that the Redondo Floral Company tended 12 to 14 acres, where it raised nearly 50 varieties of carnations. Many were developed right in Redondo, including the salmon-pink colored James Corbett carnation, the pale yellow Oro Fino carnation and the large, white Los Angeles carnation.

The carnation fields brought both tourists and buyers to Redondo Beach. The blooms were often sold at the Los Angeles flower market for between 15 and 40 cents per dozen.

Most carnations are now grown in South America, and there seems to be a rebirth in the flower's popularity.

A recent story in the Wall Street Journal stated that there is a renewed interest in the flower, especially among some famous and fashionable figures, including Oscar de la Renta, Martha Stewart and Sarah Jessica Parker.

The blooms have a pleasant scent, are long-lasting and extremely versatile.

Martha Stewart told the news provider that she has used them in a variety of ways, including on cakes, in decorations and for funeral arrangements.

This article is brought to you by Teleflora - a leader in the flower delivery service for over 75 years. Teleflora helps its customers buy flowers online and specializes in bringing the freshest available flowers for a variety of holidays and occasions - all hand-delivered in keepsake vases by the best local florists.

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