Research On The European Flower Market And Main Symbolic Values Of The Most Traded Species

Cultivated by passion or as part of a business, flowers are present at any event in people's lives, either joyful or sad. As the European flower market is a large and varied one, the aims of this article are: to present the evolution of European flower market between 2008-2016 using as main indicators: the areas cultivated and the total production obtained in the European Union; the import and export values; to sketch the cultural role of the most traded species. The economic data taken from the European Commission-Agriculture and rural Development, Eurostat and International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) sites, were processed and interpreted statistically; while for the symbolic values of Roses, Carnations, Lilies, Chrysanthemums, Orchids and Gladioli we used documentation on various, eclectic, formal sources related mainly to religion, art, florigraphy. Results highlight that the European Union represents 10% of the world's floral area and 31% of the value of flower and ornamental plants production in 2016; the Netherlands, France and Italy are the main producing and cultivating countries; the European Union is an exporter of cut flowers and foliage, potted plants, conifers, perennials, bulbs and corms, and, first of all, an importer of cut flowers and foliage. The trade balance is in favor of exports.