Mother's Day Flowers May Be Hard To Come By This Year Due To Global Pandemic
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- It's Mother's Day. And if looking for last-minute flowers was on your to-do list, finding the perfect blooms may be a challenge.
Like so many other businesses, COVID is having an impact on the floral industry.
"With the growers and importers, we know product is tight and it started during COVID. Crops were pulled and there was no one to plant the crops," says world-renowned floral artist Deborah De La Flor.
De La Flor owns De La Flor FLowers and Gardens on Stirling Road in Cooper City.
She says buyers need to be flexible because not every type of flower is available. Arrangements may cost more as well.
The weather has been a factor too in South America where much of the flowers are grown.
"It's cold and rainy in Colombia and Ecuador. Hydrangeas are hard to come by. There is product but you have to choose what will work for you." she says
It helps that her store in Cooper CIty is just a van ride away from Miami International Airport, the flower gateway of the Americas, where nearly all flowers distributed around the country begin their
journey.
"There are definitely struggles going on in other parts of the country, but we are blessed to be able to down there and pick up fresh flowers."
Despite the challenges, De La Flor expects this Mother's Day to be even busier in flower sales than last year when forced separation spurred more deliveries.
She says shortages are even deeper when it comes to decorative plants.
Most are grown in north Florida and growers last year shut down and downsized. It's not known when
that part may come back.
Vases imported from Asia are another item in short supply.
Through it all, De La Flor and her team are adapting to all the challenges.
"We are blessed to do what we do and we love what we do," she says