Hacienda Loma Linda – biggest in Central America

Fifty percent business and fifty percent love affair with orchids

By Craig J. Weincek

Have you ever wondered where the lovely orchids that are on sale at Riba Smith supermarkets come from? Or how about the elegant orchids offered at Felipe Motta, the fashionable liquor store. In fact, the largest orchid farm in Central America is in Panama, which means that the orchids available here are the freshest and most bountiful in all the Americas.

Hacienda Loma Linda is an impressive orchid-growing operation nestled in the mountains along the western edge of Panama province near the little town of Buena Vista. About two thirds of the way up the winding road between Bejuco and Sora, not far from Altos del Maria, nearly 100 workers tend over 500,000 plants sheltered in a massive greenhouse that covers nearly eight hectares.

Juan Arias, Jr. manager of Hacienda Loma Linda.

This ambitious undertaking started off as hobby. One Mother’s Day, Dr. Juan Arias, a prominent dentist and newspaper publisher, purchased an orchid as a gift for his wife Maria. Soon Johnie and Ginnie, as the couple is known to family and friends, began collecting orchids until there were nearly 3,000 plants in their country home in En Valle.

Dr. Arias also enjoyed traveling to the yearly World Orchid Conference in places like New Zealand and Brazil. He consulted experts who indicated that Panama has an ideal climate for raising orchids. Initially, by riding up the mountain side on horseback, Dr. Arias located the 200 hectare finca that was considered ideal. Now, a large family house overlooks the widespread greenhouse supported by steel girders. The development of this undertaking required the Arias family to not only pave a mountain-side road and engineer an extensive irrigation system; but also bring electricity to and through the village of Buena Vista to replace generators to power the pumps and lights.

Speciemen of the magnificient orchids
which are exported around the world.

According to Juan Arias Jr., 32, who oversees the production, distribution and exportation of the multi-colored ordchids, "this is fifty percent business and fifty percent a love affair with the flowers."

His father is still very much involved and takes pleasure in seeing the flowers improve, Arias Jr. pointed out. "My Dad’s very much a perfectionist, so quality control is a priority."

Both father and son are self-taught in orchid production and have their own horticultural lab for improving the species. Arias said that he enjoys the creative process of combining the elements of the various plants in an effort to propagate orchids that are not only attractive but good value. "For example," Arias explained, "cut flowers need to be able to last for 14 days; so I’ll graft a longer stem flower onto a plant that stays fresh longer. For a potted plant, I might be trying for a larger flower. It takes time."

Another speciemen of the magnificient orchids
which are exported around the world.

Arias has apparently experienced success in conquering time. Hacienda Loma Linda was founded in 1997, and the first plants were exported by 1999. Then, two years ago, there was a problem with fertilizer that killed 80% of the crop. "We literally had to start over," Arias said. And yet, hectare after hectare of plants festooned with white, purple, and yellow once again flourish at the farm for export to Columbia, Spain, Italy and even Monaco but mainly to the United States.

Very much a family business, Juan’s sister Maru will answer the phone at 227-7000 for customers in Panama to place orders. His other sisters, Irma and Anna, help out especially during the busy Mother’s Day and wedding seasons.

Watch the expatexplorers’ calendar for an upcoming rare tour of Hacienda Loma Linda. Normally the farm does not accept visitors, so this will be an expatexplorers exclusive.

Large, modern and prospering, Hacienda Loma Linda does not feel like a flower factory, but rather a vast, vibrant garden. Maybe it is the lush green virgin surroundings, the rushing waterways and cool temperate environment; or maybe it’s the joy the Arias family takes in growing and making available the orchids that they love.