Cut flowers are flowers and flower buds (often with some stem and leaf) that have been cut from the plant bearing it. It is removed from the plant for decorative use. Cut greens are leaves with or without stems added to the cut flowers for contrast and design purposes.
Floral design professionals work at florist shops (floristry) and use their design skills and experience with many types of flowers and greens to create works of art with flowers.
Cut flowers, and to a lesser extent, cut greens, are a significant and international segment of the floral industry. The plants that are grown vary by plant species as well as by climate, cultural practices and the accessibility of worldwide transportation. Professional horticulturists raise the plants specifically for this purpose, in field or glasshouse growing conditions. Boxes of harvested flowers are shipped via air freight throughout the world.
The study of the efficient production, distribution and marketing of floral crops is a branch of horticulture, called floriculture.[1]
Uses
Flowers brighten and enhance the human environment. Cut flowers and flower arrangements with cut greens bring the outdoors indoors. Many home gardeners harvest flowers from their own gardens, to increase their everyday enjoyment. Garden cut flowers are also used to enhance gatherings of family and friends. These are often enhanced with the addition foliage from other plants.
In some cultures, a major use of cut flowers is for worship; this can be seen especially in south and southeast Asia.
Sometimes the flowers are picked rather than cut, without any significant leaf or stem. Such flowers may be used for wearing in hair, or in a button-hole. Masses of flowers may be used for sprinkling, in a similar way to confetti.
It is common for cut flowers and cut greens to be placed in a vase. Common uses are informal and formal bouquets in a glass vase for hospital visits, wedding bouquets, wedding arrangements, funeral casket displays, large arrangements in hotel lobbies and party venues, boutonnieres, wreaths, and garlands. Cut flowers are used at flower shows at garden clubs throughout the world and flower competitions at county and state fairs in the U.S. Cut flowers are a common gift for family or friends or just a day brightener on a work station or kitchen table.
Cut flowers and cut greens
Plants used for cut flowers and cut greens are derived from many plant species and diverse plant families. Cut flower arrangements can include cut stems from annual plants, flower bulbs or herbaceous perennials, cut stems of evergreens or colored leaves, flowers from landscape shrubs, flowers that have been dried or preserved, fruit on tree branches, dried uniquely shaped fruit or stems from plants, unique dried weeds (sometimes painted to add a distinctive touch), etc. These plants come from diverse natural habitats, so different environmental conditions are used to grow them. The cut flower plants that were first used in the development of the floral industry in northern Europe were those adapted to the cool temperatures that occur there. On the other hand, the warmer temperatures of Southeast Asia, led to the development of different plants adapted to those conditions.
The floral industry was primarily local, wherever in the world, until the 1950s. The advent and development of international trade and transportation changed the cut flower segment of the floral industry. Cut flowers could be grown cheaply in a cool or warm region of the world and shipped to markets in population centers anywhere. This started in the cool coastal regions of California but quickly expanded into the mountains of Colombia, Ecuador, Kenya, Ethiopia, China, Mexico, etc., and to distinctive environments in Indonesia, South Africa, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, etc. In many of these countries, flower farmers could choose a location for year-round plant production based on the altitude, cooler crops higher in the mountains, warmer crops at lower altitudes and offer work and income to the local population.
This led to an increase in the taxa used as cut flowers across the world. Rare flowers became common, such as these local flowers from the Western Cape seen at a flower show in Clanwilliam, South Africa.
Cool temperature plants
These plants prefer to grow at temperatures of 10°C (50°F) to 18°C (65°F)
Flowers removed from the plant remain alive. Respiration and photosynthesis continue, but no longer have a storehouse of sugars to support them. Additionally, the flowers no longer receive water from the roots, yet transpiration continues.
In many countries, cut flowers are a local crop because of their perishable nature. In India, much of the product has a shelf life of only a day. Among these are marigold flowers for garlands and temples, which are typically harvested before dawn, and discarded after use the same day.
The postharvest life or vase life of cut flowers can be several days.[2] The vase life of cut flowers and cut greens can be extended with thoughtful care. This care starts from the moment of harvest and continues until they are enjoyed by a flower consumer. Everyone involved must participate in the, "Floral Chain-of-Life", or the life of the cut flowers and cut greens is reduced.[2][3][4]
Flowers are harvested in the cool part of the day, generally morning, and placed into water as soon as possible to reduce water loss from transpiration.[5] The cut stems go into clean buckets with low pH water as a hydrating solution. Next, the cut stems are refrigerated to slow respiration, photosynthesis and transpiration. Vacuum coolers and hydrocoolers are used for large numbers of flowers on commercial farms. When cold, 2-4 C (36-42 F), the cut stems are sized and graded for shipment. Additionally, most or all of the leaves are removed from the cut flower stems to reduce the cost of shipping and reduce disease issues. The stems stay dry through this process to prevent disease in subsequent storage. The major cut flower types can be packaged and stored dry while other types are stored and shipped in water in a Dutch flower bucket Boxes and pallets of the cut flowers and cut greens are shipped to a far away market, but the brokers and shippers must maintain the correct storage conditions for the flowers.
Cut flowers are conditioned upon arrival at a wholesale florist or retail florist. The flowers are carefully removed from the shipment boxes and placed into low pH water in clean buckets to begin hydration. In the same or later step, the stems are cut under water to remove air bubbles from the xylem vessels in the stems and placed into water with a low pH for hydration and bacteria prevention, a biocide (disinfectant) to reduce bacteria and fungi in the water and a type of sugar (often sucrose) to supply energy to the developing cut flowers.[3][4] The flowers may complete conditioning at room temperature or in a refrigerator depending on the cultivar. Cut flowers and cut greens are kept refrigerated during delivery to the florist or floral designer and to the consumer. Design activities occur at room temperature but floral arrangements are kept refrigerated and hydrated with the floral food solution.
It is important for flower consumers to keep fresh flowers in shade in the car and not allow them to sit in the sun in a hot car. Use clean vases and the flower food available from the florist. The disinfectant in the flower food is especially important. Refill the vase or container with water regularly and re-cut the stems periodically to ensure that there is a fresh surface from which the stems can take up water. Keep flowers away from ceiling fans and air-conditioning vents as this can lead to dehydration and keep flowers away from fresh fruit or vegetables (to reduce the impacts of ethylene from ripening fruit and vegetables). Bacteria and fungi in the water in the vase can easily plug the stems of cut flowers and cut greens, so it is important to use the commercial flower food that includes disinfectants.
Flower vase life can be affected by pre-harvest factors, such as growing conditions, genetic makeup, or post-harvest factors, such as mechanical damage, bacteria or fungi. Vase life also varies across plant species and cultivars.[6] Cut flowers with a short vase life, of less than 5 days, include dahlias, irises, peonies, daffodils, and delphinium; flowers with a medium vase life (6 to 14 days) include marigolds, snapdragons, orchids, and roses; and flowers with a long vase life (2 to 4 weeks) include tulips, carnations, and chrysanthemums.
Chemical treatments that extend vase life are a major component of floriculture research.[7] These include:
Bud opening development, where buds are harvested early in development then kept in a solution of sucrose, plant hormones, and germicides before they open.
Pulsing, where flowers are treated with increasing concentrations of sucrose for 16–20 hours at a time.
Holding or vase solutions, which treat flowers with a mixture of carbohydrates (generally sugar), plant growth regulators, germicides, ethylene inhibitors, mineral salts, and organic acids.[6]
Additives
The Brooklyn Botanical Garden tested different items that have been claimed to prolong the lives of cut flowers when added to the vase water. These were aspirin, sugar, vitamin pills, vinegar, pennies, and flower food.[8] They found that the best additive for flowers was the retailer-provided "flower food" that is usually given with a bouquet. Flower foods contain an acidifier that lowers the water's pH, disinfectants, and sugar. The sugar replaces the sugar from its roots. The stem unpluggers allow the flower to continue to take up fluids.[9] Sugar alone is almost as effective.
Preserved flowers are a common use for cut flowers and some cut florist greens. Panicled hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata), strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum), and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) can be dried in a vase with no water on a table in an air conditioned kitchen. It is better hang them upside down in a dark air conditioned room; stems are straighter and colors are better. These can be used as a decoration for many months. Additional techniques - use of silica gel, micro sieve, freeze drying, etc. - are available to preserve more tender species.[10]
Cut flowers have become a part of international trade and an active economic engine in a number of tropical countries (for instance in Kenya[11]).
Research and Markets has estimated that the cut flower global market will reach a size of US$50.1 Billion by 2030 from its current estimate of US$33.3 Billion for 2022. Roses are projected to increase at a 5.9% compound annual growth rate, while chrysanthemum and gerbera will increase by 5.3% over the next eight years.[12]
Royal FloraHolland in Aalsmeer, Netherlands is the largest flower market in the world. Flowers with a value of over US$4 Billion pass through the market each year. In 2019, the export value of cut flowers was €4.200 Million from the EU, Colombia exports were €1.235 Million, Ecuador exports were €721 Million, Kenya exports were €487 Million and Ethiopia exports were €180 Million, while US exports were only €14 Million compared to €1.052 Million in imports.[13] Union Fleur,[13] a European international flower trade association, represents the interests of Austria, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey, Uganda, and the United States. Most of Royal FloraHolland exports go to European neighbors.[14][15]
Cut flower exports from China rose from US$71.4 Million in 2011 to US$162.1 Million in 2022, primarily from Yunnan Province where there are 300,000 farmers cultivating 1.5 million hectares of flowers.[16] Overall production is much higher because 90% of flowers are sold in China.[17] Most cut flowers are sold through the Dounan Flower Market in Kunming, Yunnan, China.[18] It is likely that cut flower production in India is similar to China based on the similar population sizes.
In recent decades, with the increasing use of air freight, it has become economic for high value crops to be grown far from their point of sale; the market is usually in industrialized countries. Typical of these is the production of roses in Ecuador and carnations in Colombia,[19][20] mainly for the US market, and production in Kenya[11] and Uganda for the European market. Some countries specialize in especially high value products, such as orchids from Singapore and Thailand.[21]
Cultivation
Cut flower cultivation is intensive, usually on the basis of greenhousemonocultures, and requires large amounts of highly toxic pesticides, residues of which can often still be found in flower shops on imported flowers. [22][23][24]
As with the production of fruit and vegetables, the industry depends on significant amounts of water, which may be collected and stored by the farm owners. The Patel Dam failure in May 2018, associated with a large Kenyan rose farm, killed dozens of people.
These facts have spurred the development of movements like "Slow Flowers", which propagates sustainable floriculture in the consumer country (U.S., Canada) itself.[25]
Hydrangea, commonly named the hortensia, is a genus of more than 70 species of flowering plants native to Asia and the Americas. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Korea, and Japan. Most are shrubs 1–3 m tall, but some are small trees, and others lianas reaching up to 30 m (100 ft) by climbing up trees. They can be either deciduous or evergreen, though the widely cultivated temperate species are all deciduous.
Horticulture is the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants. Horticulture is commonly associated with the more professional and technical aspects of plant cultivation on a smaller and more controlled scale than agronomy. There are various divisions of horticulture because plants are grown for a variety of purposes. These divisions include, but are not limited to: propagation, arboriculture, landscaping, floriculture and turf maintenance. For each of these, there are various professions, aspects, tools used and associated challenges; Each requiring highly specialized skills and knowledge of the horticulturist.
Floristry is the production, commerce, and trade in flowers. It encompasses flower care and handling, floral design and arrangement, merchandising, production, display and flower delivery. Wholesale florists sell bulk flowers and related supplies to professionals in the trade. Retail florists offer fresh flowers and related products and services to consumers. The first flower shop in the United States opened prior to 1851.
Floriculture is the study of the efficient production of the plants that produce showy, colorful flowers and foliage for human enjoyment in human environments. It is a commercially successful branch of horticulture and agriculture found throughout the world. Efficient production practices have been developed over the years, for the hundreds of plant taxa used in the floral industry, increasing the overall knowledge of whole plant biology. Plant breeding and selection have produced tens of thousands of new genotypes for human use. Jasmine, marigold, chrysanthemum, rose, orchid, and anthurium are flowers of commercial demand.
The waratah (Telopea) is an Australian-endemic genus of five species of large shrubs or small trees, native to the southeastern parts of Australia. The best-known species in this genus is Telopea speciosissima, which has bright red flowers and is the New South Wales (NSW) state emblem. The waratah is a member of the family Proteaceae, flowering plants distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The key diagnostic feature of Proteaceae is the inflorescence, which is often very large, brightly coloured and showy, consisting of many small flowers densely packed into a compact head or spike. Species of waratah boast such inflorescences ranging from 6–15 cm in diameter with a basal ring of coloured bracts. The leaves are spirally arranged, 10–20 cm long and 2–3 cm broad with entire or serrated margins. The name waratah comes from the Eora Aboriginal people, the pre-European inhabitants of the Sydney area.
The tamarillo is a tree or shrub in the flowering plant family Solanaceae. It bears the tamarillo, an egg-shaped edible fruit. It is also known as the tree tomato, tomate de árbol, tomate andino, tomate serrano, blood fruit, poor man's tomato, tomate de yuca, tomate de españa, sachatomate, berenjena, chilto and tamamoro in South America, tyamtar, rambheda or rukh tamatar in Nepal, and terong Belanda in Indonesia. It is popular globally, especially in Peru, Colombia, New Zealand, Ecuador, Nepal, Rwanda, Burundi, Australia, and Bhutan.
Floral design or flower arrangement is the art of using plant material and flowers to create an eye-catching and balanced composition or display. Evidence of refined floral design is found as far back as the culture of ancient Egypt. Floral designs, called arrangements, incorporate the five elements and seven principles of floral design.
This is an alphabetical index of articles related to gardening.
A crop is a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. In other words, a crop is a plant or plant product that is grown for a specific purpose such as food, fibre, or fuel.
The floral industry is focused on the production, distribution and sale of flowers for human enjoyment. The industry continues to diversify from the production of cut flowers to the production and sale of plants and flowers in many different forms. The global floral industry market size is estimated to be worth US$ 50040 million in 2022 and is forecast to increase to US$ 58030 million by 2028 with a compound annual growth rate of 2.5% during the review period.
Jute mallow or Jew's mallow or Nalita jute is a species of shrub in the family Malvaceae. Together with C. capsularis it is the primary source of jute fiber. The leaves and young fruits are used as a vegetable, the dried leaves are used for tea and as a soup thickener, and the seeds are edible.
The Kenya Flower Council is a voluntary body of industrial association for floriculture in Kenya. Its secretariat is in Nairobi.
Jasmine is considered the queen of flowers and is called the "Belle of India" or the "Queen of fragrance" as it is exquisitely scented to soothe and refresh. In different parts of India it is called by different names—Mogra, Motia, Chameli, Malli puvvu, Jaati, Mulla, Mallige, Juhi, Mogra or Moonlight in the grove. It is reported that there are 300 varieties of jasmine. It is also stated that jasmine crossed the seas—from Asia to Europe, landing first along the Mediterranean Sea, conquering Greece and Turkey, reaching Western Europe through Spain, then France and Italy and finally landing in England in the latter part of the 17th century..
The history of flower arrangement dates back to ancient Egyptian times.
The rainbow rose is a rose that has had its petals artificially colored. The method exploits the rose natural processes by which water is drawn up the stem. By splitting the stem and dipping each part in water with added dye in different colours, the colors are drawn into the petals resulting in a multicolored rose. With these changes to the rose, it causes them to not live as long as an uncolored rose. The colors are artificial. Besides roses, other cut flowers like the chrysanthemum, carnation, hydrangea, and some species of orchids can also be colored using the same method.
Vase life is a term used by the floristry industry that describes the period during which a cut flower or cut foliage retains its appearance in a vase. This is a major consideration in identifying plant species suitable for use in floristry, as plants with a long vase life are far more desirable than those with a short vase life.
Flower preservation has existed since early history, although deliberate flower preservation is a more recent phenomenon. In the Middle East, the bones of pre-historic man were discovered with delicate wild flowers probably as a tribute to a passing loved one. Evidence of deliberate use of specific flowers is indicated by the pollen grains that were present. Brightly colored and vivid flowers were also found in Egyptian tombs. These flowers were approximated to be 4,000 years old. In the sixteenth century medicinal nosegays began to give way to ornamental ones. Flowers essentially started to be used for decorative purposes such as jewels, fans and gloves. During the Elizabethan Age the once familiar ruff was replaced by soft lacy collars, and bosom flowers also became popular.
Mu or Korean radish is a variety of white radish with a firm crunchy texture.
"The Carnation Gold Rush" is a term used by Denver locals, historians and preservationists to represent the period between the 1880s and 1930s when the floriculture industry developed and thrived in Colorado.
Floriculture is a significant industry in Taiwan. Taiwan is one of the largest flower exporters in the world and the top producer of orchids.
References
↑ Dole, John M; Wilkins, Harold F. (2004). Floriculture: Principles and Species (2nd ed.). Pearson.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
1 2 Stamps, R. H., Greer, L., Ahmad, I., Dole, J. M., Carlson, A. S. (2017). Postharvest Handling of Cut Flowers and Greens: A Practical Guide for Commercial Growers, Wholesalers, and Retailers. United States: Independent Publisher.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ Cut Flowers Global Market to Reach $50.1 Billion by 2030: Focus on Aromatherapy & Natural Therapies Fuels Demand for Essential Oils, Driving Cut Flowers Market. | Source: Research and Markets. March 24, 2023 05:48 ET
↑ Arbeláez, María Angélica, Marcela Meléndez, and Nicolás León "The Emergence of Fresh Cut-Flower Exports in Colombia" In Export Pioneers in Latin America Edited by Charles Sabel et al., Baltimore: Inter-American Development Bank 2012. ISBN9781597821414
↑ Austin, James E. 1990. Cut Flower Industry in Colombia (Abridged). Boston: Harvard Business School.
↑ Toumi, Khaoula; Vleminckx, Christiane; van Loco, Joris; Schiffers, Bruno (2016-09-23). "Pesticide Residues on Three Cut Flower Species and Potential Exposure of Florists in Belgium". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 13 (10). MDPI AG: 943. doi:10.3390/ijerph13100943. ISSN1660-4601. PMC5086682. PMID27669276. flowers require the use of a wide range of pesticides to control diseases and pests, which can damage production and marketability. Plants and flowers entering into the European market must meet stringent regulations on plant health designed to prevent introduction of some pests or diseases.
↑ "Pesticides and Cut Flowers". National Wildlife Federation. 2000-06-01. Archived from the original on 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2019-02-13. Growers of flowers, the most delicate of agricultural crops, are traditionally heavy users of farm chemicals, including some that are highly toxic or suspected to cause cancer.
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