Pike Place Market Farmer Grows ‘Most Fragrant’ Flower in the World

There is a fragrant new addition to Pike Place Market’s array of fresh flowers: the tuberose.

Chue Cha of Ia’s Garden has successfully grown a robust crop of this exceptionally fragrant flower, known for its unique and captivating scent.

Some say it’s the most divine scent you’ll ever smell!

The Enchanting Tuberose

The tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa) is celebrated globally for its alluring fragrance. Its scent is often described as a blend of soft sweetness and light spiciness, making it a popular choice in the perfume industry.

The flower produces clusters of small, waxy white blooms that are exceptionally fragrant.

Scents of Passion

In 2023, fueled by the flower’s enchanting fragrance, Chue Cha built a greenhouse on his 7-acre farm in Snohomish County and purchased 200 tuberose plants. Despite his passion, only one bloom came up.

Undeterred, Chue planted more tuberose plants this year, and to his excitement, he received blooms from almost 400 plants!

The tuberose is native to Mexico. Making Chue’s accomplishment even more remarkable as the cool, wet climate of the Pacific Northwest isn’t its ideal happy place. As a result, he may be one of the only, if not the only, farmers selling tuberose at Pike Place Market.

Chue has had success growing tropical plants in greenhouses in the past. He brings greenhouse-grown calla lilies to Pike Place Market each year in early spring.

Chue told us his passion is to bring different and unique flowers to Pike Place Market, separating his farm from the more than 70+ flower farmers who sell at the Market.

A Floral Delight at Pike Place Market

Chue Cha’s tuberose flowers bring a touch of exotic fragrance and beauty to Seattle. His dedication and passion for growing these unique flowers have added a new dimension to the Market’s extensive floral offerings.

We invite you to visit Pike Place Market and experience the enchanting scent of tuberose for yourself. Whether looking to brighten your home or searching for the perfect addition to a bouquet, these stunning flowers will surely delight your senses. Come and support Chue Cha and discover the magic of tuberose at Ia’s Garden.

Find Ia’s Garden along our main arcade. Look for the green and white farm signs that says the names of each farm.