Just Askin' | Inflation for florists?

With Mother’s Day around the corner, I’m wondering: Have flower prices been impacted by inflation, too?

Fleurish owner Sarah Compratt gave a forceful answer.

“Duh, yes. Definitely.”

According to Compratt, the floral market — like many industries — is still adjusting with the ebb and flow of the pandemic’s changes.

“When COVID started, the production stagnated because people couldn’t do the physical work with flowers — the planting, the harvesting, preparing for freight. That was the first trickle down,” she said. “Now the demand is so high, because to most people, COVID’s over, they’re out doing life again, and the supply hasn’t caught up to demand.”

For Fleurish, demand has resulted in price points anywhere from 30 to 50 percent higher, sometimes double or triple pre-pandemic tags, depending on seasonal desirability, she said.

“A few months ago, you couldn’t pay enough for a white rose,” she said.

That said, inflation hasn’t hindered recent sales. Valentine’s Day was great for the shop, even though the holiday fell on a Monday, when it is closed. Now, Mother’s Day sales are starting to pick up.

“People spend more on their moms,” she said. “You’d think Valentine’s would be the biggest ticket, but the big ticket is Mother’s Day. Which I think is sweet, really.”