Local flower shops share tariff impacts ahead of Mothers Day Weekend

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Mother’s Day is one of the busiest times of the year for florists and flower shops.

“It’s been huge. Yesterday was so busy, and today—along with Mother’s Day—it’s actually Mexican Mother’s Day, so we’re extra busy. It’s our busiest day of the year,” said Westerlay Orchids showroom manager Virginia Hayes.

Family-owned flower shop Lily's Flowers and Fruity Florets said they’ve been seeing a surge in orders since the middle of the week.

“Since Wednesday, we’ve been doing about 80 to 90 orders every day, so yeah, the influx for Mother’s Day gets a lot bigger,” said Ismael Contreras, manager at Lily’s Flowers and Fruity Florets.

Flower shoppers may face higher prices this Mother’s Day due to ongoing tariffs enacted during the Trump administration.

According to Money Talks News, 80% of flowers purchased in the U.S. are grown outside the country.

“Peonies, orchids, and stuff that get imported from somewhere more tropical,” said Contreras.

At Westerlay Orchids, however, tariffs haven’t impacted prices.

“We’re very lucky—not at all,” said Hayes. “Actually, all of our orchids are raised here. We grow everything in our greenhouses in Carpinteria; we have three facilities here, so the tariffs don’t affect anything. We are not raising prices—we’ve held our prices for a few years now.”

While flower prices have risen at some shops, that hasn’t stopped shoppers from buying blooms this Mother’s Day.

“The roses that we usually get are from Ecuador, so those have gone up,” said Contreras. “They’ve noticed—especially the customers who come more often. They’re like, ‘Oh, my dozen roses used to be $55, now they’re $65.’”

Lily's Flowers and Fruity Florets will be open on Sunday for Mother’s Day.

Westerlay Orchids will be closed for the holiday.