SALISBURY, MD — As spring ushers in one of the busiest times for florists, local flower shops across Delmarva face rising costs driven by tariffs on imported goods — a potential thorn in the side of an otherwise booming season.
Florists like Kitty’s Flowers in Salisbury say that while spring celebrations bring in strong sales, the business cost is growing.
"Easter was just one of them," Eileen Waddell, manager of Kitty's location on Tilghman Road in Salisbury, said. "Prom is huge for us ... Mother's Day rivals Valentine's Day."
The U.S. floral industry imports more than 80% of its fresh flowers, largely from Columbia and Ecuador. Importing cut flowers allows florists like Kitty's, who tries to purchase from local growers when seasonally available, to operate year-round.
That dependency on imports has made the floral industry to the Trump Administration's new trade policy.
A 10% base tariff now applies to all imports, with some goods from China facing tariffs as high as 145%.
"We absorb as much of the hit as we can, but eventually, if things continue the way they are, you know the prices will continue to rise," Waddell said of the financial impact to Kitty's Flowers.
Sonya Trader, who owns Sonya’s Flowers in Salisbury, tells WBOC that flowers are not the only expense affected in the floral industry.
"There's the good and the bad," Trader said. "Glassware, ribbons [and] silk flowers are mostly from out of the country."
Unlike other industries with less perishable products, florists cannot purchase cut flowers in advance, making it difficult to avoid potential future increases through purchasing in advance.
"It is a product that we cannot stockpile, and we do get shipments every single morning," Waddell said.
Despite the current economic uncertainty, local shop owners said they are committed to their communities.
“We adjust and we make it work," Trader said. "We got through COVID, we can get through this."
Waddell acknowledged that they are selling a luxury item at a time when many people's discretionary income is limited.
"You are less likely to maybe run out and buy flowers, and we get that," Waddell said. "If they can hang in there and work through with us, you know this difficult time, we'll be fine."