Poinsettias, flowering tropicals profitable for Wood Co. greenhouse

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

October 31, 2002 -- Flowering tropicals and poinsettias are the flowers of choice at Blackwell Greenhouses in Quitman.

During the recent Wood County ag tour, visitors were introduced to Blackwell Greenhouses' owner Earl Blackwell who detailed his operation.

Blackwell explained to the crowd various techniques, such as propagation and rootings, used on the flower assortments at the greenhouses.

"We propagate all of our flowering tropicals in-house," Blackwell said. "With the poinsettias, we receive them as rooted liners (cuttings)."

Flowering tropicals have not always been grown in the greenhouses.

"In the 1950s, Dad started growing flowers for himself. He grew too many so he began to sell them. The first greenhouse was located behind Harry's Flower Shop," Blackwell said. "I took over in 1984."

Before the current Blackwell took over, the company grew geraniums, bedding plants, and poinsettias. Because Blackwell enjoyed the flowering tropicals, like hibiscus, jasmine, and bougainvillea, he added them to the line. Today, the company no longer grows geraniums or bedding plants.

"The flowering tropicals take heat really well," Blackwell stated. "That really helps in East Texas.

Talking about flowers and with the fall weather, Blackwell told the crowd they would probably want to rush out and buy some of these flowers; but Blackwell's flowers will have to be purchased from a retailer.

"We are a wholesale business," Blackwell explained to the interested crowd. "We sell primarily to retail nurseries. We also sell to retail florists who are within a 100-mile radius of Quitman."

Poinsettias begin shipping shortly after Thanksgiving. The greenhouse grows four different poinsettia colors: red, white, pink and marble. Marble is a mix of pink and white.

"Right now, the poinsettia are going through a photo period responsive time," Blackwell said on Sept. 24. "By the end of September, the plant should initiate a flower bud. The flower is actually the berries in the center of the colored leaves. The colored leaves are the pollinate attractant."

Photo period responsive, according to Blackwell, means as the days begin to get shorter, the plant begins to flower.

Listening to Blackwell explain the process of his business, many would think he was destined to be in this line of work. But, Blackwell said, there was a time he didn't want to have anything to do with growing flowers.

"I knew what all had to be done to grow flowers; the long hours, the dirt and grime. I wanted to do something else. I went to (Texas) A&M and majored in electrical engineering. I even worked for a little while as an engineer and found out that that job wasn't all the great either," Blackwell said. "I came home and started working with Dad."

Now, Blackwell has two sons of his own who are at Texas A&M. Will there be another generation to take over the family business?

"I don't know whether there will be or not. Right now, they say no. But, I said the same thing," Blackwell said with a smile. "I enjoy what I do."