Cut flowers (especially roses) are one of the Kenyan economy’s fastest growing industries (horticulture is the third largest foreign exchange earner after tourism and tea).

The export of roses continues to dominate the export market with sales up from 24.6 million kilograms in 1999 to 28.4 million in 2000, a 15 percent increase. According to the Kenyan government, the value of flower exports has risen from about 1 billion KES in 1990 to 7 billion in 2000 to 16 billion KES in 2003 and to a record 22.8 billion KES in 2005. (NOTE: 1 USD = 87.4500 KES, so that’s about 261 million USD.)

These pink roses greet guests at the Hilton Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya (as captured by our intrepid photographer last July).

No scent — but, then, roses are bred these days (evidently even in East Africa) for color and longevity of bloom rather than fragrance.

(Photo ©2013 by Susan McKee)