One of our favorite questions to ask is “What’s your favorite flower?”, and most of you will know the answer to that question (or like my friend Jenny T, said “36”, as in: she has 36 favorite flowers). But while you might know what your favorite flower is, do you know when that flower is in season? While many flower types are available year round, thanks to an interconnected international flower market, there are a few special beauties that are only available at certain times of the year. And if you’re growing your own flowers, or committed to buying locally for sustainability, that means you need to know when they are available and at their peak if you want to enjoy them while they last.
Here are a few of the most popular flowers our customers ask for and when they are available
Blossoming Branches
January - May
It’s no surprise that these are a highly sought after item. Blossoming branches bring a romantic or whimsical vibe, and can include varieties such as forsythia, plumb, cherry, magnolia, quince just to name a few. These have an incredibly short season, so make sure to request them from your florist during these months!
Lilac
March - May
Nothing says spring like the delicate smell of lilac. We get TONS of requests for lilac. When it’s in, it’s IN; when it’s gone, it’s GONE. When lilac is available can be dependent on what kind of winter California had, AND what kind of spring it is having during the blooming season. A big winter and mild spring = the BEST lilacs. It’s probably best to communicate with your florist so you can snag these when they first arrive - they will sell out!
Poppies
May - June
Dainty and dramatic, Icelandic poppies are a frequently requested summertime flower. This bloom has one of the shortest seasons that we see in our market. The good news is that they last a long time when cared for properly and it’s so entertaining to watch them POP open!
Peonies
May - Aug
Ah, the peony. She is probably the single most requested flower, year round. And while it may seem like we have them year round, there are actually two clearly defined seasons: Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere. Here in California, the best (and cheapest) time to buy peonies is in late April/early May through July/August. The later we go into the summer, the further the peonies are shipping from, ending with Alaska in the late summer months. If you just can’t live without your peonies, we see them start to appear again in October through January from our friends in South America and Africa. These of course will be much more expensive, but they are ALWAYS stunning no matter when they are available.
Dahlias
June - October
Dramatic and colorful, Dahlias are a favorite for our customers, despite their extremely short vase life. They also don’t ship well, so we limit our dahlia availability to what is available locally. In California, we have dahlias coming in starting in June and through September/October, until it starts to get cold. We are always happy to include dahlias in your arrangement, just remember they have a shorter vase life than most other flowers.
Thanks to thriving local and international flower farms, we are able to curate gorgeous blooms no matter the season. If you want to know more about what is in season when you are buying flowers, feel free to reach out to us through social media or email us with your questions.
