Did you know that 69% of all Mother’s Day gifts are fresh flowers?
As the most popular gift for moms everywhere, we’re here to help you get the most out of your favorite blooms. We’ve created a comprehensive care guide for the most popular flowers and plants for Mother’s Day including tulips, alstroemeria, lilies, and even azalea bonsai trees.
We’ve also created a guide that includes important steps to follow right when your flowers arrive to ensure that they are off to a healthy start.
Table of Contents
How to Keep Your Bouquet Fresh
Miniature Rose Plant Care Tips
How to Keep Your Bouquet Fresh
Receiving a fresh bouquet of flowers on Mother’s Day is one of the best surprises a mom can receive. When your flowers first arrive, you may notice that they might seem a little wilted right out of the box. However, all they need is a bit of pruning and fresh water to perk up!
Simply follow the step-by-step guide we’ve created below to ensure that your flowers are properly hydrated. Before you know it, they’ll transform into the lush and vibrant flowers you love.
General Flower Care Tips
Follow these tips to increase the longevity of your flowers and to ensure that your Mother’s Day flowers maintain their exuberance.
- Water wisely
Since flowers continue to drink water after they’ve been cut, it’s important to keep fresh flowers in water at all times. Exposing the stem to air, even briefly, can cause the water-absorbing cells to shrivel which can shorten the life of your flowers.
Mix the water with the flower food that’s been provided. Make sure that it has been properly mixed and is not too diluted or too concentrated or cloudy. Stay away from conditioning the water with “home remedies” such as bleach, mouthwash, lemon-lime soda or aspirin. Revive wilted flowers by submerging the entire stem up to the flower head in warm water for 10 minutes.
- Cut stems
Trim the flower stems at an angle before inserting in water. Cutting the stems at an angle prevents them from sitting flat at the bottom of the vase which can block the absorption of water. Re-trim the stems once every few days.
- Prune daily
Look out for dead or loose leaves that may be submerged in water, and remove them. Leaving them will cause bacterial rot which can shorten the life of your bouquet.
You’ll notice that some flowers will bloom before others. As more mature blossoms die, prune them away which will encourage other buds to open.
- Avoid heat & drafts
Place your flowers in an area that’s protected from excessive heat such as heat-generating appliances like heaters or ovens and direct sunlight. You’ll also want to avoid areas with drafts like near an open window or in the line of a fan.
- Important information
For those with allergies or sensitivities to flower fragrance, the best non-fragrant options are tropical flowers such as orchids, anthurium, birds of paradise or other tropical varieties. Oriental lilies, particularly Stargazer lilies, are strongly fragranced and should be avoided.
Varieties that are particularly toxic to animals include lilies, palms, tulip bulbs, narcissus bulbs, azaleas, rhododendrons, cyclamens, kalanchoes, amaryllises, chrysanthemums, English ivy and peace lilies.
Care Tips for Popular Mother’s Day Flowers
To help you get the most out of your Mother’s Day flowers, we’ve included specific care tips below for our best sellers. For specific care tips for flowers not listed here, check out our comprehensive flower care guide.
Tulip Care
As one of the most popular flowers of all time, our tulips come in a variety of colors and shapes. When your tulips first arrive, they may appear droopy. However, if you take the steps outlined above their stems will straighten up after they’ve hydrated. Pro tip: Keep the protective wrapper on for the first day to give the stems extra support while they hydrate.
Tulips tend to naturally bend towards the light, so be sure to place the bouquet accordingly to prevent having a lopsided arrangement. After a few days, you may notice that your tulips are taller. That’s because they can grow up to an inch a day after they’re cut!
- Average lifespan: 5 days
- Colors: red, white, pink, fuchsia, purple, cream, orange, peach, yellow and other bi-colored varieties.
Alstroemeria Care
Alstroemeria, also known as Peruvian lilies, come in a variety of tropical colors, and will add an exotic flair to your decor. They have long-lasting blooms, however, their delicate petals tend to wilt easily. Revive these flowers by hydrating them with plenty of room temperature water mixed with the packet of flower food that’s provided with your bouquet. You’ll notice that they’ll have perked up within the next 8-12 hours.
Our alstroemeria are intentionally shipped in “bud stage” so that you can receive the most long-lasting blooms. Once you’ve followed the general flower care tips outlined above, you’ll start to see them bloom within one to three days.
- Average lifespan: 7-8 days
- Colors: pink, purple, white, yellow, red and other bi-colored varieties.
Lily Care
Lilies are another classic flower that are perfect for Mother’s Day. There are three types of lilies: Oriental, Asiatic and LA hybrid.
Our lilies have large blooms and give off a strong, sweet fragrance. They typically last longer than other types of lilies. Common types of Oriental lilies include Stargazer lilies and Casablanca. Asiatic lilies are smaller compared to Oriental lilies, but come in a wider array of colors. LA hybrid lilies have medium-sized blooms and tend to outlast Asiatic lilies.
An important thing to watch out for with lilies, is their pollen which can stain clothing and upholstery. As the lilies bloom, be careful not to touch the anthers which are coated in pollen. One way to prevent staining is to snip off these anthers. If you do get a pollen stain, try letting the fabric dry and use a tape or a cotton swab to lift the pollen. In addition, you can try using a fabric stain remover or dry cleaning. Never wipe the stain with water as it will set the stain.
- Average lifespan: 5-7 days
- Colors: white, fuchsia, pink, yellow, orange, burgundy and other bi-colored varieties.
General Plant Care Tips
A long-lasting indoor plant is the perfect way to show mom your everlasting love. Follow these important care tips below to maintain a healthy plant that can last for years to come.
- Water wisely
Improper watering is one of the leading causes of poor plant health. Since the symptoms of overwatering and underwatering can appear the same such as wilting, yellowing, and curling leaves, it’s important to consult the specific care instructions for your indoor plant.
One way to make sure you are watering your plant properly is to designate one day out of the week to check the soil moisture for your plant. In addition, assign one household member to be responsible for the watering of houseplants as having too many people can easily lead to overwatering.
- Fertilize
FTD plants are delivered fresh and potted in nutrient-rich soil to promote the growth for that specific plant. Therefore, it’s not necessary to add fertilizer within the first six months because over-fertilizing can actually harm the plant. Please consult the care instructions for your indoor plant for more tips.
If after six months the leaves begin to turn yellow, brown or are pale, it may be time to add fertilizer. We recommend using water soluble fertilizer.
- Choosing a location
Place your plants in ample lighting conditions to keep them shapely. You’ll also want rotate the pots a quarter turn once a week as they tend to grow in the direction of the light source. In addition, it is advised to keep plants away from extreme temperature conditions such as areas close to ovens, air conditioning vents and fans.
- Additional tips
To keep your plants shiny, carefully wipe the dust away from the leaves with a cloth. Be sure to prune dead leaves and stems to maintain a healthy and shapely plant.
- Important information
There are a few varieties of indoor plants that are toxic to animals. These plants include: lilies, palms, tulip bulbs, narcissus bulbs, azaleas, rhododendrons, cyclamens, kalanchoes, amaryllises, chrysanthemums, English ivy and peace lilies.
If you have a household animal like a cat or dog, be sure to place these plants away from their reach.
Care Tips for Popular Mother’s Day Plants
To help you get the most out of your Mother’s Day plants, we’ve included specific care tips below for our best sellers. For specific care tips for plants not listed here, check out our comprehensive care guide for plants.
Azalea Bonsai Care
Our azalea bonsai is a stunning plant that is known for its bursting blooms. Since this is a plant best adapted for the outdoors, it requires full sun at least four hours a day throughout the year, except winter. Protect your azalea bonsai during the colder months by bringing it indoors where the temperature is an ideal 55 degrees F.
The azalea bonsai requires plenty of water. Check the soil daily, and water if the top layer of soil feels dry to the touch. Allowing the soil to dry out will shorten the life of its flower buds. To water the plant properly, soak the base of the plant thoroughly and allow the excess water to drain. After watering, place your bonsai plant on the tray and decorative rocks that are provided for proper drainage.
Once a month, it’s advised that the plant be fed with fertilizer once a month during the spring, summer and fall. Like with all bonsai trees, you’ll want prune it regularly to maintain its miniature shape. For more care tips, check out our azalea bonsai care guide.
Bougainvillea Care
Bougainvilleas are tropical vines that produce vivacious, fuchsia-colored blooms. A hardy outdoor plant, it requires at least four hours of direct sunlight every day and typically produces three rounds of blooms during the spring, summer, and autumn and thrives in climates where temperatures remain above 30 degrees F during the winter.
To encourage our bougainvilleas to bloom, make sure that the soil is a bit on the dryer side. To ensure that you’re not over-watering, water the plant until liquid drains through the and avoid watering again until the soil feels dry. However, make sure that you don’t wait too long before watering as a water-stressed plant will not bloom.
Bougainvilleas are heavy feeders and thrive off of regular fertilization in order to produce the best blooms. Mix a water-soluble fertilizer at half strength and feed the plant every seven to fourteen days, or apply a slow-release fertilizer during the spring and midsummer. For more care tips, refer to the care instructions provided.
Miniature Rose Plant Care
Due to its petite size, our miniature rose plant is one of the most endearing types of roses. It is a plant that’s easy to care for but unlike most house plants, the rose plant thrives in direct sun.
Water your rose plant regularly every seven to ten days and ensure that the soil is evenly moist at all times. To encourage bud development, apply fertilizer once every two weeks during the blooming period. Pinch off older blooms as they wither away. A hardy plant, it tolerates temperatures ranging from 20-90 degrees F, but its ideal range is 60-75 degrees F. For more care tips, check out our rose plant care guide.
Whether you’re still deciding on the perfect Mother’s Day bouquet or blooming plant, or if you’ve just received yours, these care tips will help you maintain long-lasting flowers so that you can get the most out of your favorite blooms.
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