Where Do Your Flowers Come From?
Do you know where the flowers in your last bouquet were grown?
It’s not a question most of us think to ask.
When we buy flowers, we’re usually focused on the occasion. A birthday. A thank you. A celebration. A sympathy gift. We pick the bouquet we love, take it home, or send it to someone special.
But where those flowers actually came from? Most of us have no idea.
I know I didn’t.
Before I started growing flowers, I assumed most bouquets came from local florists, nearby greenhouses, or farms somewhere in the United States. It never crossed my mind that the flowers I was buying might have traveled thousands of miles to get to me.
Then I learned how the flower industry really works.
Where Most Flowers Sold in the United States Are Grown
Today, most flowers sold in the United States are imported. Colombia alone supplies roughly 60% of the flowers sold in the U.S. Around 90% of imported flowers enter the country through Miami before being distributed nationwide. This Valentine’s Day, nearly 1 billion flower stems passed through Miami’s cargo facilities.
Think about that for a moment.
Nearly a billion stems moving through a single city in just a few weeks.
The modern flower industry is an incredible logistical achievement. Flowers are harvested, packed, refrigerated, flown across continents, inspected, distributed, and delivered to stores across the country, often while still looking beautiful when they arrive.
But somewhere along the way, many of us lost our connection to where flowers come from.
Why Knowing Where Your Flowers Come From Matters
We know where our vegetables come from. We talk about local food. We visit farmers markets. We read labels on coffee and chocolate.
Yet flowers are often treated differently.
Most bouquets don’t tell us who grew them, where they were grown, or how far they traveled.
That’s one of the reasons local flowers have become so meaningful to me.
When you buy from a local grower, you’re not just buying flowers. You’re supporting a person in your community. Someone who planted seeds months ago, watched the weather forecast obsessively, fought weeds and pests, celebrated the first blooms of the season, and harvested those flowers by hand.
The Benefits of Buying Local Flowers
Local flowers also reconnect us with something we’ve largely forgotten: flowers have seasons.
Just as strawberries taste best in spring and peaches shine in summer, flowers each have their moment. Peonies don’t bloom year-round. Sweet peas have a season. Dahlias arrive when summer begins to fade. Every season brings something new to enjoy.
There’s something special about that.
Buying local flowers also helps support small farms, local gardeners, and regional economies. It creates a stronger connection between the people growing flowers and the people enjoying them.
Seasonal Flowers Connect Us to Nature
One of the joys of locally grown flowers is experiencing blooms when they’re naturally in season.
Spring brings tulips, ranunculus, and peonies. Summer offers zinnias, sunflowers, and cosmos. Late summer and fall are known for dahlias and other vibrant blooms.
Just like seasonal produce, seasonal flowers remind us that nature changes throughout the year. Each season offers something unique and beautiful.
Imported Flowers Still Play an Important Role
I’m not suggesting everyone stop buying imported flowers. Imported flowers have made bouquets more accessible and available throughout the year, and they play an important role in the floral industry.
But I do think people deserve to know where their flowers come from and have the opportunity to choose local when they can.
Flowers tell a story.
A story of place.
A story of season.
And a story of the people who grow them.
Support Local Flower Growers Near You
The next time you receive a bouquet, take a moment to wonder where it was grown.
You might be surprised by the answer.
And if you’d like to support local flower growers, Local Blooms makes it easy to find locally grown flower arrangements from real farmers and gardeners near you.