Red Roses at Christmas?
Red roses at Christmas… it seems such a natural fit. Red roses are popular anyway, and everything ELSE seems to be red at Christmas, so let’s pop into the florist’s and buy an arrangement for the dinner table! But you soon discover that, in North America, red roses at Christmas are as rare as legitimate Santa Claus sightings. In your frustration, you may say things that land you on the Naughty List. So, as a public service, Floralife and Florists’ Review present the informative holiday piece, “’Tis the Season.”
‘Tis the Season to be frustrated in your search for red roses, that is! But why is this?
The answer is pretty straightforward: Valentine’s Day. The biggest flower holiday – and rose holiday – and RED rose holiday is a mere seven weeks after Christmas.
Red Roses: Mind the Calendar
“The rose flower business, from grower to retailer, revolves around Valentine’s Day. In order to produce the stems needed for Valentine’s Day, Rose plants must be pinched or pruned back so that the Roses can sprout new growth and increase their yield. Growers carefully prune away the last cycle’s stems. This elimination causes new buds to push at the base so that healthy new stems can form. In fact, one pruned stem can clear the way for up to 2.5 fresh ones on average, which means adequate supply for Valentine’s Day needs.”
Perfectly-timed Pinch!
The thing is, to meet the Valentine’s late January-early February shipping deadline, this pruning must take place at the end of November.
This is part of the growth cycle that has been honed over the decades in Colombia and Ecuador. Since the overwhelming majority of roses, red or otherwise, originate here, this is the reason for the scarcity of red roses for the Holiday!
You may ask why don’t they just plant more red roses? It’s complicated. So complicated that we are going to refer you to the original article!
Turn Frustration into Opportunity
And you SHOULD read the article, because it gives a thorough explanation for a common Christmas floral frustration. And it gives you the opportunity to educate your customer, to suggest alternatives, and Add Value!
“…you can creatively help your customers find solutions to add traditional colors to their floral designs. Mixing traditional color containers, hardwood and seasonal elements with non-traditional colors can transform the product that is available into splendid holiday decor!”
Whatever blooms you choose for the Holidays, keep them fresh and vibrant longer with Floralife®. Please visit us at www.floralife.com to learn about our great postharvest flower care & handling products!