Why are these flowers under inspection at the Miami airport? Go behind scenes

Soon, more flowers will arrive at the supermarket and on the streets of Miami.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, the flowers are arriving at Miami International Airport. But before they can go any further, federal inspectors look them over for possible pests and disease.

Avianca Cargo is a leading carrier of flowers to the United States, moving more than 19,000 tons of flowers from Colombia and Ecuador. The operation included nearly 320 freighter flights, with peak-day volumes of more than 1,300 tons handled in Miami, according to the company.

So before you head to the florist for that last-minute bouquet for sweetheart or mom, here’s a look behind the scenes at the arriving flowers at Miami International Airport:

This story was originally published February 6, 2026 at 4:27 PM.