cut FLOWER
“filler” flowers
BOTANICAL AND COMMON NAMES
(See photos on Page 18)
Acacia, Mimosa, Silver wattle
Achillea, Yarrow
Ammi or Daucus,
Queen Anne’s lace, Bishop’s weed
Aster ericoides,
Heath aster, September flower
Aster novi-belgii,
New York aster, Michaelmas daisy
Boronia
Bupleurum, Thoroughwax
Calluna, Heather, Ling
Ceratopetalum,
Festival bush, Christmas bush
Chamelaucium, Waxflower
Diosma (syn. Coleonema),
Breath-of-heaven, Confetti bush
Erica, Heath, Heather
Eriostemon, Waxflower
Gypsophila, Baby’s breath
Hypericum, St. John’s wort, Tutsan
Iberis, Candytuft
Leptospermum, Tea tree
Limonium,
Statice, Sea lavender, Sea-foam statice,
‘Misty Blue’ statice, Confetti statice,
German statice, Caspia
Nigella, Love-in-a-mist
Ozothamnus, Rice flower
Saponaria, Soapwort
Solidago, Goldenrod
Solidaster, Yellow aster
Thryptomene calycina,
Calycina, Grampians thryptomene
Thryptomene saxicola,
Saxicola, Miniature waxflower
Trachelium, Throatwort, Blue throatwort
Trachymene (syn. Didiscus),
Lace flower, Blue lace flower
Tweedia (syn. Oxypetalum)
Super Floral has created this
article for the education of storelevel employees. To download a
reprintable PDF, please go to
www.superfloral.com and select
“Current Issue.”
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care and handling
IMMEDIATE ATTENTION Unpack all filler
flowers immediately on their arrival at
your facility, and check flower quality.
Remove all stem bindings, and loosen
the bunches because many of these
flowers are susceptible to Botrytis (gray
mold), which can quickly develop when
air cannot circulate sufficiently among
the blooms.
PROCESSING PREPARATION Remove any
foliage or blooms that would be under
water in storage containers because they
will decay quickly and accelerate the
growth of bacteria in the water, which
will clog the stems and inhibit the uptake
of nutrient solution.
Also, because many of these flowers are
field grown, rinse the stem ends under running water to remove dirt and other debris,
which can quickly contaminate the nutrient
solution in storage containers.
STEM CUTTING Recut the stem ends, includingwoody stems*,on an angle, with a
clean, sharp blade, removing at least 1
inch of stem. This will remove dried-out
ends as well as dirt, debris and bacteria
that may have accumulated in the vessels.
Note: You may cut stems either in air or
under water. If you cut stems under water,
change the water (or flower food solution)
frequently to keep it from becoming excessively contaminated with bacteria.
* Always cut woody stem ends because
pounding, smashing or breaking them
damages the flowers’ vascular system and
prevents the uptake of nutrient solution.
HYDRATION Immediately after cutting the
stem ends, dip or place them into a hydration solution. Many filler flowers are easily
water stressed, especially during shipping,
and a hydration solution treatment will
help them become rehydrated more quickly and encourage bud opening.
Gypsophila
Baby’s breath
FLOWER FOOD Following the hydration
solution treatment, place flower stems
into clean, disinfected containers partially
filled with properly proportioned flower
food solution.
Note: The concentration of sugar in
full-dose flower foods can cause the
foliage of some of these flowers to turn
yellow prematurely; therefore, some
flower care experts suggest using a lowdose flower food (holding solution) with
filler flowers.
REFRIGERATION Immediately after processing filler flowers, place them into a floral
cooler at 34 F to 36 F and 75 percent to
85 percent relative humidity, and allow
them to hydrate for at least two hours
before using or selling them.
ETHYLENE SENSITIVITY The degree to
which ethylene gas detrimentally affects
these flowers varies by genus. Some are
extremely sensitive (waxflower, baby’s
breath, Saponaria); most are only moderately sensitive; and others are not sensitive (Aster, Solidago, Solidaster). The effects
of ethylene gas include wilting; accelerated aging; and bud, bloom and leaf drop.
Regardless of a flower’s sensitivity to
ethylene, it is advisable to ensure that all
the products you buy are treated with an
antiethylene agent at the grower or during
shipping, and keep these flowers well
away from sources of ethylene in your
facility, especially fruit and other produce,
vehicle exhaust, and smoke.
cut FLOWER
Acacia
Mimosa, Silver wattle
Achillea filipendulina
Fern-leaf yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Cottage yarrow
Ammi or Daucus
Queen Anne’s lace,
Bishop’s weed
Aster ericoides
Heath aster, September flower
Aster novi-belgii
New York aster,
Michaelmas daisy
Boronia
Bupleurum
Thoroughwax
Ceratopetalum
Festival bush, Christmas bush
Chamelaucium
Waxflower
Diosma (syn. Coleonema)
Breath-of-heaven,
Confetti bush
Erica
Heath, Heather
Eriostemon
Waxflower
Hypericum
St. John’s wort, Tutsan
Iberis
Candytuft
Leptospermum
Tea tree
Limonium ferulaceum
Caspia
Limonium latifolium
‘Misty Blue’ statice,
Sea lavender
Limonium perezii
Sea-foam statice,
Sea lavender
Statice, Sinuata statice, Notchleaf statice, Winged statice
Nigella
Love-in-a-mist
Ozothamnus
Rice flower
Saponaria
Soapwort
Solidago
Goldenrod
Solidaster
Yellow aster
Thryptomene calycina
Calycina,
Grampians thryptomene
Thryptomene saxicola
Saxicola, Miniature waxflower
Trachelium
Throatwort, Blue throatwort
Trachymene (syn. Didiscus)
Lace flower, Blue lace flower
Limonium sinuatum
Tweedia (syn. Oxypetalum)
sf
Photos courtesy of California Cut
Flower Commission (CCFC),
www.ccfc.org
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W W W . S U P E R F L O R A L . C O M / M AY 2014