Quality Paperwhites
Inspect: Receive paperwhites at the gooseneck to early-opening stage. Florets should be bright white, foliage healthy and green, and stems firm. Avoid flowers with bruising, yellowing, dehy- dration or botrytis symptoms.
Condition: Paperwhites require one crucial extra step: Freshly cut stems release a mucilaginous sap that can shorten the vase life of other flowers, especially tulips. Condition stems sepa- rately for three to six hours to allow the sap to release. Discard the initial solu- tion, transfer the stems to fresh solution and do not recut them. Recutting restarts the sap flow.
Store paperwhites at 34° to 36°F and protect them from ethylene exposure.
Design: Incorporate paperwhites into mixed arrangements only after the sap-release period. Tell customers not to recut the stems. They should keep the arrangement cool, maintain clean water and remove spent florets as they age.
Hypericum
Inspect: Choose stems with firm berries at a consistent stage of maturity and healthy green foliage. Avoid shriveled, soft or discolored berries; yellowing leaves; water-soaked spots; mold; excessive moisture; and warm pack- aging or condensation inside the packaging.
Condition: Recut stems with clean tools, remove lower foliage and place them immediately in hydration solu- tion. Store cooled product at 36° to 39°F
with good airflow. Avoid sealing warm product, which can create condensation and encourage botrytis.
Design: Remove damaged or moldy material before designing, don’t overcrowd and keep berries and foliage dry. Protect finished designs from heat, direct sunlight and ethylene sources such as ripening fruit, smoke, vehicle exhaust and decaying plant material.
Thoughtful handling of these specialty products reduces waste, preserves their distinctive beauty and helps holiday arrangements perform as prom- ised long after they leave the shop.
Cut Poinsettia
Inspect: Inspect bracts for bruising and edge burn, and avoid stems with flagging bracts (the poinsettia’s colorful modified leaves), which may signal water stress or ethylene damage.
Condition: Recut stems with a sharp tool, remove bracts below the solution line and hold them in a commercial storage solution at approximately 59°F. Do not place cut poinsettias in a conventional flower cooler; low temperatures can cause chilling injury.
Research is mixed on whether hot water or isopropyl alcohol treatments are benefi- cial for stopping latex flow. If stems release a significant amount of latex, test a small number before treating the entire batch.
Design: Commercial flower food may reduce the vase life of cut poinsettias, so plain water may be the better choice in a single-product design. In a mixed arrange- ment, florists must balance the poinsettia’s sensitivity against the needs of the other flowers.
Ornamental Kale
Inspect: Watch for yellowing lower leaves, wilt, leaf drop, tip burn, pest damage and disease symptoms. An unpleasant sulfur odor may also indicate declining quality.
Condition: Recut stems and place them in a commercial hydration solution. Remove all foliage that would sit below the waterline. Store kale at 36° to 39°F with high relative humidity and away from ethylene sources.
Design: Clean water is especially important because ornamental kale can contribute to bacterial growth, cloudy water and odor. Change the solution reg- ularly and be cautious when pairing kale with flowers such as tulips, lisianthus and gerbera.
The FloraLife Research and Development team provides postharvest care and handling expertise to help floral professionals maintain the quality and longevity of fresh flowers and foliage. This column includes contributions from team members in the United States, Colombia and Kenya.
44 FLORAL MANAGEMENT | November/December 2026 |
WWW.SAFNOW.ORG
SHUTTERSTOCK/ MIKEMAKARENKO
SHUTTERSTOCK/ SVETLANA ZHUKOVA
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