“In a word, the global floriculture industry was decimated by COVID-19,” Becky Roberts, a director at Produce Marketing Association, a trade organization for the mass-market floral industry, tells mbg. While it’s difficult to quantify the pandemic’s impact on the industry as a whole, according to Roberts, it’s safe to say that “billions of stems, billions of potted plants, and billions of dollars have been lost.” Many independent florists, like Whitman, have historically relied on large gatherings—weddings, birthdays, and the like—as a source of income. With these events canceled and restaurants (another hot spot for flowers) closing their doors, the industry has needed to pivot. Little Acre Flowers has found success shifting to a flower subscription model, and demand for their bouquet and vase deliveries remains high. And since they only sell local flowers, they haven’t been affected by any international shipping changes. “I’m hopeful that in the long term, this will bolster the local flower movement as more florists and customers become aware of the advantages of local flowers—freshness, sustainability, beauty,” she says. Many companies that import flowers from overseas, on the other hand, have been hit hard by a reduction in cargo ships and trucks. “Typically, most retail florists and wholesalers in the U.S. receive truck deliveries once or twice a week, but the trucking industry reduced its operations in floral during COVID-19,” Roberts says. “Cargo planes that once made up to 10 trips a day to carry flowers from South America to Miami were mostly idle, reducing service to one cargo plane due to decreased demand.” Roberts also notes that very few people were purchasing flowers in U.S. supermarkets from mid-March through early April of this year. During this time, while some growers were able to donate their unsold blooms to front-line workers, nursing homes, and employees, many had to toss their already-cut stems. From Australia to the Netherlands to Kenya, fields full of hyacinths and honeysuckle, calendula and carnations, lay in piles destined for trash or compost. Consider supporting the industry by gifting your mom or mother figure a bouquet this weekend. There’s no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread through flowers, so just be sure to follow CDC guidelines1 when you’re picking your blossoms up from your local shop or ordering them online for contactless delivery. And while you’re at it, maybe get in the habit of gifting yourself flowers from time to time too? They’re a reminder of beauty, hope, and comfort—things we could all use some more of right now. “[Ordering flowers] feels like a normal thing to do,” says Whitman. “And I think people like that.” Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
