SANTIAGO CITY— Ravaged by a series of devastating typhoons, crops in this agricultural city in Isabela’s Fourth District have been practically driven down the ground after.

Not only rice and corn, the two major crops in the city, have been affected by weather disturbances but the budding cut-flower industry as well.

Of all cut-flower varieties introduced a few years ago to women’s village organizations in the city, Tuberose better known as azucena has dislodged nearly all other ornamental flowers commercially grown in the city in terms of survival against cruel weather.

“To keep steady supply of cut-flowers for the city hall, I recommended the planting of acclimatized blooms in different varieties including the popular chrysanthemums, asters, roses, tuberose and the national flower sampaguita at the city agriculture research center,” said Santiago City administrator Perla Buencamino.

The cut-flower industry has seen bright prospects as a cottage backyard project for local women dominated by housekeepers. Financial support came from the city government through the city cooperative development office.

“We spend so much on cut-flowers especially during Valentine’s Day and more during All-Saints’ Day because most of the supply comes from Cordillera and the nearby province of Nueva Vizcaya,” said Buencamino.

To provide livelihood for idle women in the villages, cut-flower projects have been launched city-wide after a series of seminars among participants.

“All cut-flower varieties planted have been performing well so the planting calendar was set to time harvest on the last week of October shortly before All Saints’ Day but it was very unfortunate that after the city has been visited by a number of typhoons recently, only azucena was able to survive the punishing storms,” she said.

Sold only at a garden-price of P50 per dozen, the Mexican flower has caught the attention of many ornamental lovers because of its perennial all-season longevity and its strong fragrance notably at night. The sturdy suckers have helped the blooming plants survive the strong typhoons.