It’s flower-time here in Carlsbad. From March 13 until May 9, fifty sloping acres adjacent to Palomar Airport Road will be arrayed like royalty with pink, yellow, white, red and orange stripes of giant Ranunculus blooms.
Carlsbad’s
world-famous Flower Fields attract over 150,000 visitors every
year during this two-month peak season, many of whom return
year after year to meander through The Fields and marvel at
what man and nature can do when they work together.
The strain of Ranunculus flower grown at The Flower Fields
is called the Tecolote® Giant Ranunculus. It is native
to Asia Minor, and a member of the buttercup family. The flower
is also known as the Persian Buttercup or Ranunculus Asiatic.
Only about 1-2% of the flowers grown are sold (which
is about one million flowers). They primarily grow the flowers
to harvest the bulbs. The ranch harvests about 6-8 million
bulbs per year.
"The Flower Fields" is spelled with a capital letter in front
of each of the three words. This was the official name given
tothe fields in 1993, after Carlsbad residents had been referring
to them unofficially as "the flower fields" for years.
The Flower Fields are owned by the Paul Ecke Jr. Family and
its affiliates, the same people that own the Paul Ecke Ranch,
world-famous Poinsettia growers, in neighboring Encinitas.
Flower Fields History: An English immigrant named Luther
Gage planted the first Ranunculus flower seeds in North America
when he settled with his family in San Diego County. He cultivated
the flower on his ranch with the help of some local workers.
One of those workers, Frank Frazee, now a Ranunculus-growing
expert, passed his expertise onto his sons, and the Frazee
family started its own Ranunculus ranch. The business began
to grow quickly in the 1930s, and after the Frazees moved
the ranch twice, the fields landed in Carlsbad in 1958. People
were naturally attracted to the richly-colored fields, and
over the years more and more people came to see the ranch.
Carlsbad's residents came to consider the flower fields
as part of their local heritage. In 1993, the Frazee family
ended their ownership of ranch, but the tradition continues.
Season: Spring (March 12 through May 8, 2005)
Hours: Open to the public seven days a week
from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM March 12-April 2, 2005,
and 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM April 3-May 8, 2005.
Prices: $8.00 for Adults, $7.00 for Seniors 60+, $5.00 for Children 3 - 10,
Children 2 and under are Free
Season Passes: $15.00 for Adults, $13.00 Seniors 60+, $9.00 for Children 3 - 10
Information Line: (760) 431-0352 or visit www.theflowerfields.com.
