Red, white, pink, green-the blooms of flamingo lilies are both vibrant and slow to wilt. (Hsueh Chi-kuang)

Do you know what flowers are popular this year? Can you predict which varieties will find favor in the market next season?

"Whoever controls flower varieties can corner the market," says Chen Wen-huei, chairman of the Institute of Biotechnology at National University of Kaohsiung. Flower varieties and cultivars are the core thing of value in the flower industry. If you don't own them, then producing plants and flowers is reduced to the level of mere "industrial processing."

But how do you go about breeding new cultivars to capture the market? Apart from the use of expert techniques, breeders must also possess a keen sense of the winds of fashion to grab hold of sales opportunities.

Flower markets hold an abundance of species and varieties and are the best place to enjoy flowers from countries all over the world-roses from France, chrysanthemums from Holland, Gerbera African daisies from Italy, and baby's breath and petunias from Israel.