You might be accustomed to considering the sustainability of your food and energy sources, but have you ever considered whether your floral arrangements are sourced sustainably? Just like organic produce and free-range eggs, you can also choose eco-friendly flowers. At Busch’s Florist & Greenhouse, our Jefferson City florists are committed to delivering high-quality products that are sourced and produced responsibly.

What Are Eco-Friendly Flowers?

Flowers are natural things, so it seems like they should automatically be eco-friendly, but that’s not the case. Some growers use resources such as harmful pesticides and fertilizers and copious amounts of energy for grow lights to produce flowers at a fast rate out of season. These types of growers can put quite a strain on the environment and their workers.

Eco-friendly flowers are those that are grown with minimal impact on the safety of the environment and the people producing them. Eco-friendly flowers are grown in-season, using natural fertilizers, pesticides, and light. Eco-friendly growers also focus their distribution within their local communities to reduce the waste and resources needed to ship flowers over long distances.

How to Choose a Sustainable Florist

Unlike foods that are stamped “organic” florists don’t always advertise the efforts they make in practicing sustainable floristry. We recommend looking for a florist that:

• Offers to Refill Vases – Whether you purchase a single floral arrangement or are a high-volume commercial client. Sustainable florists always encourage their customers to reuse their containers.
• Sources Flowers Locally – Locally sourced flowers travel a shorter distance and result in a significantly reduced environmental shipping impact.
• Promotes Seasonal Blooms – In addition to being the freshest and most beautiful flowers around, they’re also the most sustainable. Seasonal blooms require the least extraneous resources to grow, and eco-friendly florists tend to highlight seasonal flowers in their designs.
• Uses Recyclable Materials – A sustainable florist uses recyclable materials whenever possible. For example, bouquets can always be wrapped in paper instead of plastic.
• Minimizes Waste – Sustainable florists do their best to put everything in their flower shops to good use, including unused flowers. We’ll either donate ours to hospitals and nursing homes or make sure they get composted.

What You Can Do to Help

Sustainability doesn’t stop at the flower shop; you can help, too! You can make your flowers last longer by preserving them by hanging or pressing them to dry. If you choose not to preserve your bouquets, then we recommend composting them. Every bit of plant matter is compostable and will make good fertilizer for future generations of flowers, fruits, or vegetables. If you don’t have your own garden, drop them by a community garden’s compost pile.

The most important thing you can do to ensure the sustainability of your flowers is to choose a local flower shop like Busch’s. Shopping local not only invigorates the local economy but also significantly reduces the environmental impact of long-distance deliveries. Plus, you’ll receive the freshest, most beautiful flowers from a florist you can trust.