The Los Angeles Flower District at dawn

What it is

The Los Angeles Flower District is the largest wholesale flower market in the United States. It grew from two markets founded in the early twentieth century, one by Japanese American growers and one by European American growers, facing each other across Wall Street in downtown. Today the halls and the shops on the surrounding blocks sell cut flowers, foliage, potted orchids, succulents and florist supplies. Much of it comes from California farms and from Colombia and Ecuador. The trade does its buying in the dark. The public is let in a little later and can buy by the bunch at low prices.

Before you go

• Go early. By late morning most vendors are closing.
• Bring cash, and a bucket or box in the car for your flowers.
• The district borders Skid Row. Use the market car parks and stay on the main blocks.

The flowers you will see

RoseWoody perennial plants with showy, often fragrant flowers in many coloursOrchidA vast family of colourful, often fragrant flowers found almost everywhere on earthLilyTall bulb flowers with large, colourful blooms in many gardens and culturesProteaLarge-headed South African flowers called sugarbushes, with many wild speciesCommon sunflowerA tall annual plant grown for its large yellow flower heads and edible seeds

More in United States

🇺🇸 Honolulu · All yearMake a lei in HonoluluLearn to string a Hawaiian flower lei, and see the lei stands of Chinatown. 🇺🇸 Lancaster · Mar to MayCalifornia poppies in the Antelope ValleyA state reserve in the high desert north of Los Angeles where hills turn orange with California poppies in a good spring. 🇺🇸 Borrego Springs · Feb to MarDesert wildflowers at Anza-BorregoAfter a wet winter, the desert floor around Borrego Springs fills with verbena, primrose and desert sunflowers. 🇺🇸 Washington, D.C. · Mar to AprCherry blossom around the Tidal BasinThousands of Japanese cherry trees flower around the Tidal Basin and the memorials in late March or early April. 🇺🇸 Mount Vernon · AprilTulip fields of the Skagit ValleyFlat river delta farmland north of Seattle where commercial tulip and daffodil fields flower through April. 🇺🇸 Carlsbad · Mar to MayThe ranunculus fields of CarlsbadA hillside above the Pacific planted in wide stripes of giant ranunculus, open to visitors each spring.