Chrysal: Wholesale Flower and Plant Care Product Guide

 
 

Guest Blog Post

Chrysal has always pushed the envelope when it comes to flower preservation. Their persistent dedication to quality, research, and pursuing environmentally friendly techniques has gained them the trust of florists, gardeners, and flower enthusiasts all around the world. Whether you're a professional florist looking to wow your customers with long-lasting arrangements, a passionate flower grower looking for post harvest care, or simply enjoy a lovely bouquet at home, Chrysal's product line has something for everyone.

Chrysal has generously provided our listeners with a special offer. Elevate Your Floral Experience with Chrysal Flower Preservative: Save with Coupon Code: Scott23 and receive 10% OFF the site. Create your account and start saving! Be sure to look into the Chrysal Reward Points and earn with each purchase.

Want to learn more about Chrysal? Listen to The Flower Podcast episode with Dennis Wheeler, Sales Manager of Chrysal.

 

Top Reblooming Iris from Schreiner’s Iris Gardens

I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to chat with Liz Schmidt of Schreiner’s Iris Gardens this past week. I think the family of stunning bearded iris has long been a garden favorite, but I’m ecstatic to see the demand for cut flowers from this family of blooms gaining in popularity. The family we’re talking about is not any ordinary iris but Iris germanica, the grand taller more statuesque member of the Iris family.

Several years ago when looking for new varieties to plant, I found a subgroup within this family of rebloomers! Yes it’s true, you heard that right, rebloomers!! For quite some time, breeders especially at Schreiner’s have been trying to create new hybrids that exhibit this characteristic consistently. One of the requirements for these magnificent beauties is a longer growing season. Many northern places can’t achieve this second flowering due to their earlier winters and early frosts. Depending on your location hovering around these northern areas a variety might be possible but may take a few years to reach that full potential.

I’m happy to share my interview with Liz but there is more! When we finished our chat, she was gracious to share her top favorites for their dependability of blooming in the spring then again in the fall. These varieties aren’t listed in any particular order, it’s just wonderful that they made the list plus we’ve included a couple of extras for fun.

August Treat

Intermediate Bearded Iris

Standards blue-lavender; Falls very pale blue-lavender; beards blue. With a height of 20in., and no fragrance, August Treat is a welcome to any garden, and its frilly petals are pure delight. Originator: J. Terry Aitken. Year: 2012. Bloom Season: Mid Rebloom: Yes

Best Bet

Tall Bearded Iris

Light wisteria blue-violet standards sharply contrast the deep hyacinth blue-violet falls in this floriferous bitone. It often produces two to three stems per plant early in the bloom season and then tends to bloom again in the fall. This child of Titan's Glory combines the vigorous growth habits and flower size of its parent with its own distinctive color pattern.

Cantina

Tall Bearded Iris

A delectable blue wash at the centers of the falls lends a mellifluous bitone effect to these large reddish violet flowers. The unusual color pattern and heavy ruffling accentuates the distinctive coloring of the falls. Cantina is a dependable August rebloomer for us in Oregon.

Champagne Elegance

Tall Bearded Iris

Connoisseurs of fine Iris recognize this delicately shaded apricot amoena as one of the best. Its near-white standards are classically arched while its ruffled falls present a gentle blending of buff, apricot and peach. A prolific bloomer, Champagne Elegance produces 7-10 buds per stem and consistently reblooms in late summer. Sweet orange blossom fragrance.

Elainealope

Tall Bearded Iris

Splashes and splotches of reddish purple randomly pepper Elainealope's tailored light lavender petals. In addition to its unique broken color, this child of Maria Tormena X Master Touch has a delightfully sweet fragrance, produces multiple stems per rhizome and reblooms in the summer.

Mother Earth

Tall Bearded Iris

Mother Earth's large flowers possess gently undulating ruffles. The lavender falls pale at their centers and are touched with beige shoulders. The ivory standards have a hint of lavender at their bases. Stalks are tall, strong and well-branched, averaging 9 buds.Reblooming variety.

Pure As Gold

Tall Bearded Iris

Reliable rebloom and strong growth are the hallmarks of this deep golden yellow. Exquisite ruffling graces the edges of Pure As Gold's well-formed flowers. One of the most consistent rebloomers each summer.

Sugar Blues

Tall Bearded Iris

This deep wisteria blue self is well known for its consistent reblooming habit even in the colder climates. As another bonus, Sugar Blues has a pronounced sweet fragrance. The tailored flowers have modern appearance. Excellent rebloomer

Vintage Charm

Tall Bearded Iris

Vintage Charm’s warm colors - sunshine yellow and plum red - stimulate. “Look at me!” they implore. Yes, it’s the familiar red and yellow variegata updated to 2018. Conspicuous buff undersides of the falls, along with the undulating border, both add dimension and reply, “I hope it’s not rude to stare.” As illustrated in our photo, balance and proportion are satisfying. The contrast between the falls and standards is sharp. Falls boldly flare. Vintage Charm flaunts 2-3 branched stems, each displaying 8 big flowers.

Summer Olympics

Tall Bearded Iris

We recommend Summer Olympics on the strength of its outstanding bloom habits. These ruffled lime yellow flowers are among the first to bloom in the spring, then they dependably bloom again throughout the summer! See how the centers of the falls pale to white around the self beards creating a yellow bitone effect. Slight sweet fragrance.

Rosalie Figge

Tall Bearded Iris

This dark reddish violet self, a child of Dyke's Medallist Titan's Glory, offers great growth and bloom habits. Its moderately sized flowers have a slight ruffle and are completely saturated in dark reddish purple. Enjoy their sweet fragrance in the spring and then again in the summer and fall.

Mariposa Autumn

Tall Bearded Iris

This lightly ruffled rosy violet plicata's pedigree (Jesse's Song X Earl of Essex) assures us of very good vigor, floriferousness and strong rebloom. Mariposa Autumn has been recognized for these outstanding attributes.

What excites me about these beautiful irises is their faces and the opportunity to enjoy two cutting seasons depending on your location. So many perennials bloom once and are finished for the year, but these reblooming beauties provide stunning blooms again in the fall. I hope you’ll consider growing these if you’re a cut flower grower.

I want to thank the team at Schreiner’s for providing these fabulous images and descriptions of these varieties. We’ve included the links to all of the Schreiner’s resources for your convenience. Be sure to place your orders early because I’m sure these will sell out fast.

 

Embrace Pricing, Profit, Boundaries, and the Sales Process

“It takes more than a talent for floral design to run a successful flower business.” Alison Ellis

Adventuring into the flower industry is not for the faint of heart. In my experience over the years, when someone asks what I do, and I proceed with “I’m in the flower business”, the response is always greeted with an assumption of ‘it’s a job surrounding yourself with beautiful flowers and working long hours during the holidays. Well, again in my experience, I have never met someone in the floral industry that meets this assumption.

The floral industry in all its beauty and wonder thrives under the continuous efforts of determined, enthusiastic visionaries engaging in the day-to-day grind of ordering and processing flowers, administration duties, meetings, the pressures of growing and maintaining profitability. It is a magnificent industry not stifled by concrete walls and endless hours confined to a desk, but it is still business.

This episode is meant to answer a reoccurring theme of questions I receive on a regular basis. I have invited a previous guest and friend of The Flower Podcast to give her insights to these issues, and I encourage you to visit her website for more information that may be helpful in your business.

Alison Ellis

Real Flower Business, Flower Math, and Floral Artistry

Alison Ellis is the founder of realflowerbusiness.com, creator of Flower Math, and author of Falling Into Flowers, A step-by-step guide to today’s modern wedding business. She’s a floral designer and educator who teaches florists around the world how to increase their income and find more freedom in their small business with honest, actionable strategies and step-by-step courses.

Alison graduated from the University of Vermont in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Plant and Soil Science and a minor in Small Business. She trained in flower shops for 9 years, worked on an organic flower farm, and has been running a home-studio floral business for almost 20 years. Alison understands the challenges that floralpreneurs can face when growing a business on your own!

Since 2015, over 8,000 florists around the world have enrolled in Alison’s online business courses, private & group coaching, and free resources for florists.

Highlights from my conversation with Alison Ellis

  • 2 reason why we start to dislike customers is because of boundaries and profitable pricing, yet these are the 2 reasons when done correctly are what keep us happy.

  • When we do a good job it simply feels like good customer service.

  • Minimums are a healthy important boundary.

  • An easy first boundary is to block days on your calendar ahead of time. Be sure to block not only vacation days or important events but prioritize a few YOU days to refresh yourself.

  • Set the precedence of communicating through email and not texts.

  • Lists help get things out of your head and gives us direction for the following day.

  • Alison has encountered a lot of colleagues frustrated by ‘Educating their clients” We shouldn’t act like our clients are uneducated but as engaging the sales process with our client.

  • It’s ok to do small inexpensive weddings. Demographics and your location do play an important part. Your area may not be flourishing with new business or a thriving economy but that doesn’t mean you can’t be profitable.

  • Establish yourself and build your way, but if you are not over the hump after some time, likely it is because there hasn't been intention on your messaging. Go back to your business plan. You might benefit from some introspection of your goals.

  • We have to look at our weaknesses. If you are complaining there is probably something you could be doing better.

  • Leaders always have something to learn if they are willing to learn.

  • You must be in tune with what is happening in the market and the world.

  • When you know there are clients out there and they are not coming to you that’s when you know it just may be you.

  • Alison sets her minimum based upon what the client wants.

  • A questionnaire gives insights to the clients needs and serves as a ‘get-to-know you’ helping you create a wonderful experience for them.

  • At the end of the day, what we really want to do is to get serious about our business.

  • Embrace pricing as the sale process. This attitude is extremely helpful to allow ourselves to enjoy it and not dread it.

  • Have grace for your client, yourself and create a wonderful experience for you both.

Sources From Alison

 

This 35 page book is part memoir, part how-to and 100% honest regarding my 25 years in the industry and 17 years as a small business owner. I share some of the MOST VALUABLE LESSONS I’VE LEARNED.

 

Online Business Courses For Florists

As a floral designer, you’re in charge of so much more than “just flowers”. Because to run a successful business, you also need to master Pricing for Profit, Closing Sales and Marketing so that you maximize profits and book great clients consistently! Alison

Many thanks to Alison for another great episode of The Flower Podcast. I appreciate your questions and hope you found answers and encouragement today. Please feel free to DM @theflowerpodcast or contact me through email at scott@theflowerpodcast.com.

More From Alison Ellis on The Flower Podcast

 
 

Invasive Species to Avoid When Foraging by Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers

Thank you so much to Becky Feasby for this informative post. What a great read to follow up with my recent chat with Becky on The Flower Podcast. Listen to our episode featured at the bottom of the page.

—Scott Shepherd

‘Tis the season, it seems, for foraging in search of the perfect dried crispy bits or other special specimens for wreaths, bouquets, or installations. But heading off on your searches requires an understanding of ethical foraging principles and an intimate knowledge of invasive species in your area.

Harvesting invasive species is a big no-no. The issues can vary, but they come down two main areas of concern: economic and environmental.

The economic impacts of invasive species include things such as management costs (which can include using toxic pesticides to control their spread), monitoring programs, reduced crop yields for farmers, and impacts to international trade and tariffs. The environmental impacts of invasive species - although harder to quantify - can be significantly more devastating. Reduced biodiversity, loss of native species, and changes to ecosystem services can spell disaster for the environment. Many invasive species invade forest areas and displace native species, altering soil conditions and wreaking havoc on important ecosystem functions - increasing flooding, reducing resiliency to climate change, and increasing soil erosion.

So beware - clipping little bits of this and that can have far-reaching implications.

Invasives vary by region, so it’s important to consult your local authorities to find out what is and isn’t ok to harvest. But here are a few to really beware of:

Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

Japanese honeysuckle has few natural enemies which allows it to spread widely and out-compete native plant species. Dense growths of honeysuckle covering vegetation can gradually kill plants by blocking sunlight from reaching their leaves. Vigorous root competition also helps Japanese honeysuckle spread and displace neighboring native vegetation.

 

James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Chinese Tallowtree (Triadica sebifera)

Tallotrees grow into fully mature trees in just three years, far outpacing native maples, oaks, cypress and elms. Their leaves are toxic to some animals, and they cast off litter that changes soil chemistry and disadvantages competitors. Chinese tallowtree is a serious threat because of its ability to invade high quality, undisturbed forests.

Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii)

Buddleja davidii readily invades disturbed sites and riparian areas (riparian = near water sources such as rivers and streams). Although butterflies will use this plant as a nectar source their larvae cannot survive on it. By replacing native larval food source plants butterflybush can have a negative impact on wildlife.

Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org
licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Common Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)

Tansy invades disturbed areas, ditch banks and riparian areas and replaces important native plants through aggressive spreading. Can be toxic if animals or people ingest large amounts of it.

Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila paniculata)

An escaped ornamental that has become extremely invasive in many parts of North America. When it develops seeds and matures, the plant breaks off and rolls long distances to spread across the landscape (a bit like tumbleweed) – each plant has the ability to spread over 10,000 seeds!

Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org
licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org
licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Purple loosestrife can become the dominant plant species in wetlands. One plant can produce as many as 2 million wind- dispersed seeds per year and underground stems grow at a rate of 1 foot per year.

The bottom line here is that if you don’t know what you are cutting, don’t cut anything. Know before you go. And don’t think that taking just a little bit is ok, because it’s not. Many plants have the ability to spread thousands of seeds from one cutting. Plus - by showcasing invasive species in your work, you are creating demand for that look, which could encourage others to harvest them or for local growers to even start growing them.

Just say no to invasives!

Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)

Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

The bottom line here is that if you don’t know what you are cutting, don’t cut anything. Know before you go. And don’t think that taking just a little bit is ok, because it’s not. Many plants have the ability to spread thousands of seeds from one cutting. Plus - by showcasing invasive species in your work, you are creating demand for that look, which could encourage others to harvest them or for local growers to even start growing them.

Just say no to invasives!

Peonies: Varieties to Look For This Year!!

by Scott Shepherd


With the arrival of spring comes the much anticipated onset of magnificent peonies. Each year, the peony season comes and goes with mostly the same varieties. You may recognize varieties like ‘Kansas’, ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, ‘Jules Eli’, ‘Festiva Maxima’, and ‘Duches de Nemours’. Oh, and don’t forget ‘Coral Charm’, ‘Coral Sunset’, and ‘Red Charm’. These have become the staple varieties that we know to ask for year after year. Some of these varieties are earlier blooming cultivars which we have grown to depend on, but over the years new varieties that tend to bloom later in the season have become more plentiful.

Many of these varieties have been hybridized over the decades. New doesn’t necessarily mean recently created. New could be, and often is, defined as meaning the varieties have been around a long time but have finally become more available to the masses. Peonies can be a tremendous expense to plant, both in capital, labor, and land. Many varieties take a minimum of three years before blooms can actually be harvested. As you can imagine after millions of dollars have been spent in plants, the idea of tearing them out of the ground and starting with new varieties isn’t very attractive.

So as our palette of peonies progress, we want to take a moment to show you and make sure you learn and remember some names for this spring. That way, when you have a chance you can try them out. We have not used any kind of enhancement or filters on the pictures. We have used natural light in most cases to give you a sense of the true color

 

Fuchsia Peony

Peony ‘Paul Wilde’

Peony ‘Paul Wilde’

This is ‘Paul Wilde’. An amazing fuchsia with an incredibly high petal count. This fabulous variety opens reliably into a large flower with a big wow factor. It adds that degree of moodiness to any rich romantic color palette. The color is so intense it’s sure to draw your customer’s eyes straight to it.

 

New and Different

Peony ‘Do Tell’ / ‘Flat Top’

Peony ‘Do Tell’ / ‘Flat Top’

There’s a short story with this variety. When I first bought this peony, it was sold to me under the name ‘Flat Top’, and I posted it on Instagram as such. Then, one of our followers was kind of enough to give me her thoughts on the variety. I was very grateful, since I always want to be correct when posting new varieties. At the time, I found images that matched under both names. However, I do think the name is ‘Do Tell’. So I listed that first above. This is a very interesting peony with all the color in the center of the flower and the pink petals that continue to fade as it opens. It blends with almost any palette. Because it opens quickly, I would leave it in the cooler as long as possible. The color in this flower has the ability to create color bridges or help with transitioning interesting color combinations of flowers.

 

Salmon Peonies

In my hunt for salmon color peonies, I came across the next two varieties in Holland. Their names say it all, and I just had to try them. As you can see in the pictures, they really aren’t salmon. I will say that they start salmon-ish and then open to pink.

Peony ‘Etched Salmon’

Peony ‘Etched Salmon’

‘Etched Salmon’ is a beautiful peony. It opens slower than the variety below and when you see all the petals you know why. It just keeps opening and opening to the magnificent flower you see above. They consistently open with a combination of tones throughout the flower. You naturally see the darker pink inner petals that fade to the lighter pink outer petals. I would never hesitate to try this variety if given the chance. When the flower fully opens it’s almost a complete sphere. Amazing!!

Peony ‘Salmon Saucer’

Peony ‘Salmon Saucer’

If you need a fast opener, this is it, ‘Salmon Saucer’. Being in the single family of peonies, it has few petals. These two varieties look identical in the bud stage. If you use your fingers and pinch the bud the single peonies feel hollow compared to a double or semi-double. If they get mixed up you can use the pinch test to tell them apart. They are beautiful, but some people are turned off with the yellow pollen filled center. Often brides and customers that want the pink of the peony are not happy with this center. When fully opened, it reminds me of the flower from Magnolia grandiflora.

 

White Peonies

Being that white is the number one color in demand for most weddings, I’ve included two that you may not know. If you do a lot of weddings especially in late May and June you may have lucked out over the last two years and found these show stoppers.

Peony ‘Madame Claude Tain’

Peony ‘Madame Claude Tain’

This peony contains beautiful petals with a feathery center. The petals, as they approach the center sometimes have a slight yellow cast to them. However, when it opens completely, it reads white to me. I guess it depends on the color palette you may be using with it. It is definitely whiter that ‘Duchess’. The petal count makes this flower seem full and dramatic. A great choice for sure, you don’t want to forget this one.

Peony ‘Odile’

Peony ‘Odile’

White peonies are truly the jewels of the wedding bouquet. If you struggled with choosing which white peony to choose, I understand. Deciding between white with pink flecks or varities that open with this yellowish creamy center can be frustrating. For the bride that wants pure white, I think this is the best variety because it really doesn’t have much, if any, of that yellow that stands out in an all white bridal bouquet. Needless to say, the whitest variety I’ve seen. Remember this one for sure.

 

Pink Peony

Peony ‘Sweet 16’

Peony ‘Sweet 16’

Out of all the “new” peonies I’ve enjoyed this year, ‘Sweet 16’ has to be my new favorite. It’s a little darker than the ‘blush’ most people want in the wedding world. This peony is an absolute showstopper. It’s large and has a pretty balance to it, not a single blossom and not packed with petals either. It opens gracefully because these huge petals are amazing. Almost every single flower that I saw in this batch opened beautifully. I just can’t say enough about this variety because my jaw dropped open from the very first second I saw it open. Truly a work of art to be used in designs.

The flower business is constantly changing with new varieties replacing old. With some crops this is easier than others. Change in the world of peonies is truly slow. Because South America joined the world in peony production, they have brought many new varieties to our markets. I can’t wait to see what treasures they’ll send our way this winter!!