02/10/1995

Science Helping Symbols of Love Last Longer

AUBURN, Ala. - Science may not be able to keep love alive, but it is helping extend the life span of the classic symbol of everlasting affection -- the rose. That's good news for sweethearts who want to give roses this year, but are faced with potentially higher prices, and also good news for the floral industry.

According to Bridget Behe, associate professor of horticulture at Auburn University, the red rose means "I love you" in the language of flowers -- hence its popularity as a Valentine's Day gift.

The importance of roses also transcends love. "It is the national flower and it is one of the most recognizable and economically important cut flowers in the United States," she added. "USDA statistics from 1993 show that there were $141 million worth of roses (wholesale value) grown in the United States. You can double, triple or even quadruple that figure to get the retail value." That same year, she noted, 430 million stems of U.S.-grown roses were sold here along with another 500 million stems, most imported from South America.

This year, rainy weather in California (the hub of American rose production) somewhat reduced the domestic supply of roses. More than half of the roses given this Valentine's Day are expected to be imported from Columbia. While no shortages are expected, the cost of roses may rise because of decreased production and increased demand.

Cut roses, though beautiful, are not renowned for longevity, sometimes wilting and shedding petals within a few days after they are delivered. "If someone pays $75 for a dozen long-stem roses and they fall over and die the next day, that's not good for the customer or the industry," said Behe.

Behe, who studies production and marketing of floral products through the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES) at Auburn, has been exploring ways to increase acceptance and enjoyment of fresh-cut flowers, such as roses, and has found that education is the key.

"With education, people can get flowers to last longer. For example, sometimes people will buy a rose and it might only last for two or three days. It might be because it is a poor quality rose, but more often it is because they don't know how to take care of a rose," she explained.

A 1994 AAES study conducted in a national test market in Columbus, Ohio, explored ways to educate consumers. The study involved providing retail floral departments with brochures and videos that show people how to take care of flowers after they are purchased.

"My hypothesis was, we teach people about fresh seafood and about fresh fruit by giving them the product, showing them how it tastes and teaching them how to prepare it," said Behe. "I thought, why can't we do this with fresh-cut flowers?"

For the study, trained food demonstrators were stationed in retail stores to teach people how to select and care for fresh-cut flowers. They used in-store demonstrations and video tapes and also by provided consumers with fresh flowers, flower food and informational brochures to take home.

"We told people to first use a reputable flower professional," said Behe. "Some places do a better job than others, and you can tell if the product is high quality the same way you do with fresh produce."

The educational information explained that "good quality" fresh-cut flowers will have rigid leaves, all the petals will be intact and upright and the flower color should be attractive, with no browning of the petal tips or signs of disease.

Behe said the information also suggested wrapping flowers in tissue or plastic to transport them home, especially when the weather is cold. Home preparation suggestions included placing the flowers in warm water and using flower food. "We told them that the water should not be too hot or too cold.

"If it is comfortable to take a bath in, then it is comfortable for the flower," she said.

Flower food, which often is included free with cut flowers or can be purchased from a florist, is specially formulated to help flowers last longer. "We told consumers to use the food but to read the instructions. Too much food or too little food is wrong, and we suggested using glass or plastic vases because metal vases can react with the flower food," she added.

The information also explained to consumers how to prepare the flowers themselves. "We told them to submerge the bottom two inches of the flower stem in warm water, cut a portion of the stem (the bottom inch or inch and a half off) and look for an air bubble," said Behe. "That bubble is what causes bent-neck," she said. "We've all seen a rose fall over at the head. That's what happens when the air bubble travels up the stem and gets caught in the weakest part, which is right at the base of the flower, and the bloom falls over."

Results of the study showed that educating consumers did boost sales. "We demonstrated about a 28 percent increase in fresh-cut flower sales over the 11-week study period," she said. "This would translate to $500 to $1,000 increase in terms of sales, but more importantly people got more out of their fresh cut flowers by learning how to take care of them." That resulted in people buying more fresh-cut flowers to enjoy at home, even if there was no special occasion to celebrate.

Behe noted that floral sales have increased in Alabama and nationally, in part because supermarkets have made flowers more accessible and affordable. "They took them out from behind the glass and offered them at a lower cost than many flower shops," she said. Supermarkets may not always provide all the design and delivery services that a florist offers, but they give consumers another, less expensive option.

So for those Valentine sweethearts who want to make a statement with flowers, Behe said the opportunities are endless. However, she encouraged buyers to select carefully, including the color of flower they offer.

"One of my advisors at Ohio State (where Behe attended graduate school) found that women preferred non-red rose varieties, especially salmon and light pink, whereas men preferred the red variety," she said. That study also showed that people tend to buy what they prefer, not always what the receiver wants.

By picking the right dealer, the right flower and using science to keep the flower fresh, the blush of love may remain even longer.

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News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
Contact Katie Jackson, 334-844-5886 or smithcl@auburn.edu

February 10, 1995