If you’re planning to buy flowers for Mother’s Day, you could be in for a rude awakening. It turns out the flower industry is facing a major shortage. Larry Gramith, the owner of wholesaler Chicago Flower Exchange, told the Chicago Tribune that he had prebooked 12,000 roses from one grower, but the grower was only able to deliver 3,000 roses. Now, Gramith is refusing to take deposits on some flower orders from buyers, because he isn’t sure he will be able to fill their orders. “We’re trying to fill orders as best we can, and we’re refusing a lot of orders for Mother’s Day because we can’t get the product,” he said. And for more retail news, This Popular Gift Store Just Filed for Bankruptcy.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb The last year has been unprecedented in many ways. The pandemic has led to “tight market conditions” and “supply-demand imbalance for flowers” that is likely to impact Mother’s Day, according to Mayesh, a wholesale florist company. In a March 26 statement, Mayesh CEO Patrick Dahlson explained that the pandemic forced many florists and flower distributors to shut down—even if just temporarily—which meant growers cut back on their volume. Not only that, but growers have also faced the challenges of more expensive flights and reduced space. According to Dahlson, all these shortage problems are only being exacerbated by the increased demand for flowers. “Americans have been nesting at home and have been separated from loved ones for over a year. As a result, the beautiful products that we sell have seen a spike in demand,” he explained. “The challenge, of course, is that the spiking demand for flowers is occurring at precisely the time when flower supply is in a trough.” And for more shortages to be aware of, These 4 Beloved Foods Are Disappearing From Grocery Shelves, Experts Warn. You may still find the flowers you’re looking for this year, but you’ll probably have to pay more than usual as a result of the pandemic, the experts at FTD By Design warned. Carol Ayala, owner of Crystal Flower Shop in Chicago, told the Chicago Tribune that she had to increase the price of a dozen roses by $10. And while carnations were once 75 cents per flower, she is now charging $1.25. “Flowers will be more expensive until this supply-demand imbalance returns to normal,” Dahlson said. And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. According to Smart Asset, 69 percent of Mother’s Day gifts are flowers. So if you’re hoping to somehow bypass the flower shortage this year and get your mom the flowers you want to get her, you should place your order now. In fact, Seth Goldman, CEO of UrbanStems, a national plant and flower delivery company, told the Chicago Tribune that most Mother’s Day orders are placed the week before, but this year, people who wait to buy at the last minute may be unable to secure the flowers they want and get stuck with generic bouquets. Specific flowers are now harder to come by amid the shortage—like chrysanthemums, specialty roses, snapdragons, delphinium, orchards, and tulips. “Whatever flowers we have, it’ll be beautiful,” Ayala told the Chicago Tribune. “But it’s not going to be what you want.” And for more gifts to avoid, This Ice Cream Brand Just Recalled 100 of Its Products.
