Fruits are Bad for Fresh Cut Flowers?

Most people think that fruits and flowers would go hand-in-hand. Both fresh, colourful and smell great! What many don't know, is they cause cut flowers to go bad faster. Why? Most fruits, if not all, release something called ethylene gas. Understanding what ethylene gas is can be critical to fresh flower care. I will go more into this if you keep reading!

"Ethylene is a natural, odorless, and harmless plant hormone and gas released by fruits as they mature." - Google's AI Overview.

Bananas are known to give off the most ethylene gas of most fruits. Apple is a close second. If you do a quick online search, you can get a full list - but here is my quick list I give to customers when they ask me: bananas, apples, pears, oranges, and peaches. Think: things that you would keep in your crisper drawer.

Why does this matter though?

It matters A LOT to brides, graduates, and anyone else who is picking up a corsage or boutonniere from us the day before their event and intends to put it in their fridge (as they should for overnight storage). If they put them in their fridge that is full of fruit, the ethylene gas from the fruits can cause the flowers in the corsages and boutonnieres to wilt. This is especially bad for these wearable flowers, as they do NOT have a water source and are simply in a container for safe-keeping. The only thing to keep them from wilting is the floral preservative spray we put on it before it goes into our coolers.

If you have a bowl of fruit on your counter - maybe think of moving it away from your vase of flowers next time to get a longer life from your fresh cut bouquet!