Longer-Lasting Cut Flowers: The Subzero Solution

Discover how cutting-edge research can help flower growers store flowers for longer durations, ensuring blooms remain fresh and vibrant for extended periods. Hear the direct findings from AFE-funded research along with accessing the full research report. Average vase life visual representation of stored rose ‘Freedom Red’ flowers compared to non-stored control flowers after 4- and 8-week storage durations held at 31°F (-0.6°C) or 39 °F (4°C).Cold storage of cut flowers is often a necessity. On most farms, it is impossible to harvest enough flowers to satisfy the immediate needs of all customers and markets. Storing cut flowers at cold temperatures of 35-39°F reduces respiration and transpiration, allowing them to remain fresh and have a longer vase life.  The duration that flowers…

Care & Handling Resources, Guides, and Research for Cut Flowers

When the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers recently announced their Cut Flowers of the Year, the Endowment asked Dr. John Dole from NC State University to provide information on the handling of each crop. AFE has been supporting the important research at NC State for decades and is funding a new two-year project on long-term storage of cut flowers beginning in July. Care & Handling for Cut FlowersFresh Cut Flower of the Year:  Hellebore Ice N’ Roses series.  Interest in hellebores as cut flowers has steadily increased over the years, fueled by their durability and new genetics that feature outward-facing flowers in many colors and color combinations. Flowers can be harvested over a long period – interestingly, the older flowers last…

Getting Back to the Basics: Cooling, Cleanliness and Care

Back to Basics: Floral customers want beautiful flowers that last. The biological mechanisms governing flower life and quality are complex, but the flower care practices recommended for growers, wholesalers, and retail florists are really quite simple. Get back to basics with the three c’s. AFE-supported research confirms that there are three keys to quality: cold, cleanliness and careful processing. Keep Flowers COLD (33 – 36° F)Temperature is the major factor governing flower life. Cold temperatures conserve the sugars stored in the leaves and stems needed for flowers to open and remain viable. Supplemental sugars provided by flower foods serve as a critical back-up to stored sugars. Cold temperatures also make flowers less sensitive to their archenemy – ethylene. Keeping flowers…

New Poster Gives Tips for Flower Care!

Research Study to Break New Ground in Understanding Consumers

Sales of cut flowers have decreased recently in the U.S. floral market. Some experts posit that this could be correlated with changes in disposable income, causing some consumers to move to the lower-value end of the market. Others contend that this decrease in floral purchasing could also be due to barriers such as price or the availability of alternative gift items. Regardless of the reason, more than half of the retail floral industry revenue is comprised of sales of floral arrangements, so if we are to have any hope in influencing future purchases of flowers it is essential for industry participants to better understand consumer behaviors and opinions regarding purchasing flowers.Enter the new study from Floral Marketing Research Fund, co-sponsored…

New Study Identifies Consumer Preferences in Floral Design

New Study Identifies Consumer Preferences in Floral Design“Using Biometric Technology to Better Understand Floral Consumers”January 29, 2019, Alexandria, VA – Floral designers have long been taught that the most important attributes of a design are its elements: line, color, texture, pattern, form, space, and size. Yet, these attributes have not been proven to be perfect indicators of consumer purchase behavior.In a new study currently being conducted jointly by the American Floral Endowment (AFE) and the Produce Marketing Association (PMA), funded through the Floral Marketing Research Fund (FMRF), researchers will determine which of these attributes are truly important to consumers and drive their purchase behavior. The study results can be used by florists, suppliers, retailers, and bouquet makers to increase sales.Using the latest…

2nd Annual #FlowerLoveVideoContest Winners Announced

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Jan. 28, 2019 – The Floral Marketing Research Fund (FMRF) in partnership with American Floral Endowment (AFE) is excited to announce the grand prize winner and two honorable mentions of its 2nd Annual #FlowerLoveVideoContest. The contest was originally created in 2017 as a result of the findings from the 2016 FMRF-funded study “Marketing Tactics to Increase Millennial Floral Purchases,” which suggests that the best way to reach millennials is through video.Industry members and non-industry members of all ages submitted unique videos from all around the country, each promoting the use and giving of fresh flowers. The array of videos that FMRF received were funny, emotional, creative, inspiring, artistic and so much more. The race for first place turned…

The Ultimate Guide to Promoting the Holidays on Pinterest

 By Cindy Hanauer, AFE TrusteeCEO of Grand Central Floral, LLCThe leaves are beginning to change, and you know what that means? It’s time to prepare your Pinterest boards for holiday selling!  Say what?  Yes!  You’ll be glad you started early and are prepared to use the latest in social media to market your business.Remember, Pinterest is one of the largest search engines and has the perfect audience for small businesses to stand out and promote their unique products.  So how do you show up in your customers’ feeds, encourage them to pin your pins, follow your boards and buy from you when ready?  It’s simple!  Just use these tricks of the trade:Pin as a BusinessIf you haven’t already, you’ll want…

#FlowerLoveVideoContest Winners Announced & New Flower Video Library Launched

The Endowment is excited to announce the grand prize winner and two honorable mentions of its #FlowerLoveVideoContest, sponsored by Asocolflores and funded through the Floral Marketing Research Fund (FMRF).$4,000 Grand Prize Winner – “Let Happiness Bloom” by Jaclyn FiolaThe contest was created based on results from the 2016 FMRF-funded study “Marketing Tactics to Increase Millennial Floral Purchases,” also sponsored by Asocolflores.The study suggests that reaching millennials through short, authentic videos is an effective way to engage them, and that millennials enjoy sharing funny, sentimental and how-to videos on social media. The study also reveals that 75% of millennials use Facebook daily, and 46% visit YouTube daily.$500 Honorable Mention – “The Flower Princess” by Mickelle MartinFlower lovers from across the country…

New Genetic Engineering Research Aims to Increase Postharvest Life of Cut Flowers

Roses overexpressing MTD. Symptoms are 4 days after spraying Botrytis spores on flowers of a low MTD expressing plant (2-), medium expressing plant (10+), and a high expressing plant (32+).New genetic engineering research from AFE funded researchers at North Carolina State University provides information about how to manage fungal diseases in eco-friendly ways, potentially increasing the postharvest life of cut flowers.Although fungal pathogens, such as Botrytis, cause economically devastating diseases in nursery, field and greenhouse production of important floriculture crops, few genes have been found that are suitable for targeted breeding or engineering specific resistance.This research is focused on expression of a naturally occurring plant resistance gene to produce plants with reduced production costs as well as lower maintenance requirements…