Anthurium plants first sprung up in the rainforests of South America, and lived there undisturbed for hundreds of centuries. Out of the hundreds of species of Anthurium, one was brought to Hawaii in 1889 by a man named Samuel Damon. He started growing the plant in the gardens of his mansion, and from there, the plant was introduced to other people who also started growing it in their gardens. Anthurium started spreading from garden to garden as people introduced them to friends. A few years later, people learned to propagate these plants by seeds, rather than cutting, and this resulted in a proliferation of flowers in new shapes and colors. In the 1940s florists in Hawaii began carrying the plant in their shops, and it became quite popular with locals and tourists: an industry was born. Some people started expanding their cultivation of Anthuriums from their gardens to full scale farms. Today, Anthurium has become an international business. Previously, most Anthuriums were sold within the islands, but now, the airplane allows Anthuriums to be shipped all over the world.