Holy Smokes… Our Volcano Erupted!

We know what you’re thinking… Holy Smokes is right!

If you’re reading this, you probably know that we grow our flowers on the side of an active Volcano. How active, you ask?

On August 16th, Volcano Cotopaxi, nestled next to one of our farms, erupted. Our Co-Founder, JP Montúfar, lives on our flower farm beside the Volcano and answered some questions for us.

What were the immediate aftereffects of the eruption?

Volcano Cotopaxi was having emissions throughout the day. Since we are in Quito, Ecuador, we have been able to see a steady cloud of ash coming out of the crater all morning. The air smelled of Sulfur and we all had to wear dust masks.

What were Ecuadorians’ reactions?

We were lucky that it was not a major eruption this time. But the idea of a big eruption from Cotopaxi is a terrifying thought for every Ecuadorian. Like hurricanes in Florida or earthquakes in California, volcanoes are our natural disaster of choice. It is estimated that one-quarter to half a million people live in areas that would be directly affected by the volcano in case of a major eruption, most notably the city of Latacunga with it’s 100K inhabitants. Precautionary evacuations have taken place already in the areas closest to the volcano.

Were any people, including the farmers, harmed? What about the Bouqs?

Luckily, because it was a relatively small eruption, no one was directly injured. However, the government issued precautionary evacuations in the areas closest to the volcano, so many people have had to leave their homes. Your volcanic blooms are as beautiful as ever! While some volcanic ash blew onto the flowers, the rain washes it off, and the volcanic ash fertilizes the soil! There is nothing to worry about, but we are happy to answer any questions people have about the effects of this event.

Click here to learn more.