Why Local Flowers Matter

A glimpse into the movement that’s encouraging the use of locally grown flowers.

There’s no denying the impact that a bouquet of fresh flowers can have on someone. The texture, the color, the scent … the way that flowers seem to convey a range of our emotions without using any words at all. We use them to show love, thanks, sympathy, joy, forgiveness … and also just because.

When you’ve looked at those colorful kaleidoscopes of blooms, have you ever wondered where they came from? 

In 2022, the global floral industry was estimated to be a $33.3 billion dollar industry and is projected to be a $50 billion dollar industry by the year 2030, with the US making up the largest part of that at roughly $8 billion. Interestingly though, of that $8 billion dollars worth of cut flowers sold in the US, over 80% of them are imported from other countries (primarily those of Central and South America).

Have you ever noticed that many cut flowers in a store don’t have a scent? Or that they don’t have quite the vase like you would expect them to?

Have you also started to notice there are more local flower growers popping up in your community?

This is no coincidence.

You see, cut flowers that are flown in from other countries are grown on industrial farms for mass production and the international supply chain, which comes with a heavy load of regulations. In order for blooms to make the long haul to your local community, they must pass certain regulations to not bring foreign pests and disease with them. This means that they are grown with harmful fungicides, herbicides and pesticides, and given extra doses of harmful preservatives and chemicals in order to make the transport. They are typically not grown with the health of the floral professionals or end consumers in mind.

In fact, in a significant study from 2017 it was found that at the end of one day (2-3 hours in fact), there were over 100 different chemicals found on the gloves of floral workers handling these mass produced flowers while making bouquets. 

Those chemicals make their way into our homes, onto our dining room tables and onto our bodies.

This is where local flower farmers can make a difference and this is why we’re focused on growing seasonally fresh flowers in an environmentally friendly way - without the use of chemicals. 

Seasonally means they are grown at the time that is realistic for our growing zone and harvested for peak freshness and long vase life. Environmentally friendly means that, in addition to not using harsh chemicals, we also operate primarily as a no-till farm in order to encourage soil health and increase carbon sequestration. We share the land with wildlife and creatures, and we do our part to encourage a naturally biodiverse property (even if it comes with some additional headaches… hello voles). We also want to make sure our land is around for generations to come… we take that responsibility seriously.

While there is still a long road ahead, the good news is that many local florists and consumers as a whole are starting to recognize the opportunity to support local flower farmers. There are even local flower farmer markets and cooperatives forming to make sourcing local blooms more convenient for floral professionals.

So next time you’re buying flowers from a florist or grocer, ask where those blooms were grown.  The more we educate the more opportunity we create.

And next time you pass by a local flower stand or see a friendly farmer at the market, think about supporting them. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the movement to increase American-grown flowers and foliage, Certified American Grown is an incredible resource and organization to check out.

photo ©Arlyn Flower Farm, 2024