"Freshest!" "Direct from the field!", proclaims Internet
flower shippers. Is there any truth in their claim? Are
these flowers really fresher than the flowers from
traditional florists?
Not necessarily. According to a Webster dictionary, "fresh"
means "having its original qualities unimpaired." Do the
flowers direct from the field, even if this claim is true, have
more of the original qualities unimpaired than the flowers
from florists?
What consumers may not know is that the key factor to
keep cut flowers fresh is not the time between harvest and
sales, but the post-harvest handling of flowers.
Cut flowers must be properly cared for, in order to slow the
natural process of their deterioration (or "senescence").
across North America to await purchase. Although their websites feature professionally
arranged bouquets in vases, actually the blooms are simply bunched and shipped in a
box using a common carrier such as Fedex or UPS.
Fedex or UPS trucks are not refrigerated, thus potentially "cooking" the flowers during
warm spring time. Also, when no one is home, Fedex/UPS drivers are instructed to leave
the boxed flowers outside. If the outside temperature exceeds 70 degree, your flowers will
most likely become dehydrated and heat-damaged, significantly shortening the vase life if
there is any life left at all.
What will your loving mom do with these boxed flowers that could have sustained
significant temperature shock? Even if they are reasonably fresh, what is she going to
with them unless she knows how to arrange flowers?
Professional florists' flowers also come from growers throughout the world, often in as
short a time frame. But these flowers have the added benefit of being hydrated,
refrigerated, and properly conditioned by flower-food solutions for maximum vase life. We
deliver professionally arranged flowers in a vase or basket, not bunched blooms that your
mom has to work on.
In our opinion, the results of direct-ship distribution and delivery methods thus have great
potential for a disappointing, dissatisfying flower purchase.
Thank you for reading.
Part of this text was modified from Real Florist Press Release on Feb 4th, 2006.