FLORAL DESIGN FACT SHEET

This sheet is only a partial list of some of the things which may be included on the multiple choice test. It was not intended to be all inclusive. It is designed as a general guide for beginning design students.

  1. Oasis is used for fresh flowers only.
  2. Oasis should not be forced to absorb water. This will create dry patches in the brick.
  3. Oasis comes in instant and standard formulations.
  4. Sahara is used for dried and silk flower arranging.
  5. Styrofoam is used for dried and silk arranging as well as specialty fresh pieces for funerals.
  6. A wire service is a company that can utilize the services of member florists to send floral gifts throughout the nation and around the world.
  7. If a bunch of roses costs $19.00 wholesale, how much would 6 roses cost if there were 25 in a bunch?
  8. Roses should be cut under water to prevent air from getting in the stem and causing the rose head to droop.
  9. Always remove the lower leaves of cut flowers and greenery to prevent them from causing bacteria to build up in the floral bucket.
  10. Appx. 1/3 of the lower leaves should be removed from fresh flowers before placing in the bucket.
  11. Floralife is a preservative and an antibacterial agent used to keep fresh materials fresher longer.
  12. When conditioning fresh flowers, you should always recut the stem before placing into a bucket of water. This helps the flower take up more water. Remove 1 – 2” at most.
  13. Carnation grades:
  1. standard – cheapest
  2. fancy
  3. select
  1. Rose grades:
  1. sweetheart – short stems, multi blooms
  2. intermediate – 18” to 22”
  3. fancy
  4. long-stemmed
  1. Keep tulips in their sleeves to keep their stems straight.
  2. Roses can be laid horizontally under water to help rehydrate droopy flower heads.
  3. Tea roses are usually wired to prevent their heads from drooping.
  4. The four flower shapes are:
  1. line – delphinium, liatris, gladiolus, snapdragon
  2. filler – baby’s breath, statice, wax flower
  3. form – iris, orchid, ginger, anthirium
  4. mass – rose, carnation, daisy, football mum
  1. You can create a focal point by:
  1. using groups of like flowers
  2. using a novelty item
  3. using bold/hot colors
  4. using form flowers
  1. Silver thiosulfate (STS) is used to reduce ethylene gas. However, it is no longer legal to use this product in the USA. It has been replaced with a product sold under the name EthylBloc. It is usually used only on fresh flowers and not greenery because they have a low sensitivity to ethylene.
  2. Hydrating solution is used to help prevent water stress problems and encourage better water uptake. It is used on wilt-sensitive flowers, especially roses. It is also known as a citric acid solution.
  3. Tools and their uses.
  1. wire cutters are used to cut small amounts of wire (corsage stems)
  2. swelled blade shears are used to cut large amounts of wire
  3. Ribbon shears are used to cut ribbon only to prevent them from becoming dull.
  4. Rose stripper removes lower leaves and thorns from roses
  5. Glue gun has many uses. However, it is seldom used on fresh flowers.
  6. Chenille stem – pipe cleaner
  7. Bouquet holder is used to make bridal bouquets without wiring and taping.
  8. Greening pin is used to hold on mosses to cover up floral foam.
  9. Wood picks add length to dried or silk flowers only.
  10. Waterproof tape is used to hold wet oasis in its container.
  11. Cling holds Styrofoam in its container.
  12. Floral tape is used to cover the wires used in corsage construction.
  13. Sleeves are used to protect flowers and plants from the elements. (cold air)
  1. Common wire services - This info changes rapidly. The list below is current as of 1/6/04 Check out the following website: dmoz.org/Shopping/Flowers/Wire_Services/ If this does not work, go to “google” and type in floral wire services. There are tons! Click on the line for “Open Directory – Shopping Flowers.”
  1. FTD
  2. Teleflora
  3. Extra Touch Florist
  4. Floral Express
  1. Wiring methods:
  1. hookwire – used on daisies or mums, or flowers without a calyx
  2. Crosswire – used on carnations and roses, or flowers with a calyx. This is also called the piercing method.
  3. Insertion – used on stems of flowers, such as roses and carnations, to help keep their heads up straight.
  1. Flower cooler rules and temperatures.
  1. Never put fruit in a cooler because it releases ethylene gas.
  2. Tropical flowers are stored in a cooler at 60 degrees. If you do not have a separate cooler for tropicals, they should be stored out of direct light in a cool place.
  3. Most fresh flowers and greenery are held in a cooler between 34 and 38 degrees.
  4. Keeping the cooler clean cuts down on ethylene gas.
  5. A red rose and a red carnation will turn purple blue when exposed to ethylene gas.
  6. Buckets should be washed out weekly with a solution of 10 percent bleach in the water.
  1. Generally speaking, a centerpiece should be 1 ½ to 2 times taller than the height or width of the container.
  2. Common ribbon sizes:
  1. 1/8 Offray
  2. #3 – used for corsages
  3. #9 – used for ribbon roses, pew bows and funeral bows
  4. #40 – nice large ribbon used for funeral ribbons, pew markers, wedding altar pieces
  1. Centerpieces can be balanced two ways:
  1. Symmetrical – can be divided into two equal pieces such as a round arrg., or a one-sided equilateral triangle centerpiece.
  2. Asymmetrical – can not be divided into two equal pieces.
  1. Generally speaking, larger flowers go to the base of the centerpiece while smaller flowers go to the top and the perimeter of the floral piece.
  2. Color:
  1. Monochromatic – colors that are in the same group i.e. red, pink, and maroon. Color plus the addition of black, white or gray.
  2. Analogous – colors that are side by side on the color wheel. Ex. Green, green-blue, blue
  3. Complimentary – colors that are opposite on the color wheel. Ex. Red and green or blue and orange.
  4. Primary colors – red, blue, and yellow. From these, all colors can be made.
  5. Shade – a color with black added to it. Ex. Red, maroon
  6. Tint – a color with white added. Ex. Red, pink
  7. Hue – a color with the addition of gray. Ex. Pink, dusty rose
  8. Blending equal portions of two primary colors together makes secondary colors. Ex. Blue + yellow = green, red + yellow = orange

31. Wires are measured in gauges. The bigger the number, the thicker the wire. A number 18-gauge wire is the largest wire used by a florist. The thinnest wire is a number 26 gauge. The most common wire sizes used by florists are 18, 22, 24, and 26. Twenty-four and 26 are used on corsages. Eighteen gauge is used to support dried materials or add stem length to silk materials. Twenty-two or 24 are used for the insertion wiring method on roses and carnation. A continuous piece of wire on a chunk of wood is called a paddle.

It is used for wiring garlands.

  1. Roses cut too soon are called bullheads.
  2. Each blossom on a gladiolus is called a floret.
  3. Fresh flowers should be checked daily for water. They should be kept out of sunlight, and direct heat to help them last longer.
  4. The flower that can not be placed with other flowers after conditioning is the jonquil (narcissus). It releases a toxin that is poisonous to other flowers.
  5. Gardenias should not be touched because the salt from your hands will turn them brown.
  6. A daisy is fresh if its eye is green and its foliage is firm with good color. When the center of the flower turns yellow, it is getting old.
  7. A rose is fresh if its head is upright, firm at the base of the head and its foliage is dark green and firm.
  8. A cushion mum is fresh it its center is tight and its foliage is firm and dark green.
  9. Anyone can purchase items from a retail florist. However, you must have a state tax number to purchase from a wholesale business.