Although Mother’s Day only became an official U.S holiday in 1914, the celebrations of motherhood can be traced all the way back to the ancient times. In more recent centuries, we’ve seen Mother’s Day observed more religiously, with traditions centered around the church on what was known as “Mothering Sunday.” Over time, these traditions have shifted more secular to what we are familiar with today. As we continue to celebrate our mothers with flowers, cards and other tokens of appreciation, here are some fun floral facts about Mother’s Day you and your mom can read up on this upcoming holiday.

Mother’s Day Flower Facts

Roses & carnations bouquet

What is the official Mother’s Day flower?

  • Carnations are the official flower for Mother’s Day.

Why is the carnation the official flower of Mother’s Day?

  • In 1907, Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother’s Day, delivered 500 white carnations to church, where her mother taught Sunday school. She also requested that each mother in the congregation receive a carnation as they arrive at church every day that week.
  • Soon after, it became an annual tradition to hand out carnations during the Mother’s Day church service, and in 1940, the carnation was deemed the official Mother’s Day Flower.
  • To learn more about why carnations are the official flower of Mother’s Day, visitPetal Talk.
  • Pink, purple and bright mixed bouquets

What do the colors of roses mean?

  • Red: I love you
  • Pale Pink: I appreciate you
  • Purple: I always knew you were the one
  • Hot Pink: I’m grateful you’re in my life
  • For more on the meaning of different colored roses, visit our blogPetal Talk
  • Lilies: Purity and refined beauty  
  • Tulips: Perfect love, charity and royalty 
  • Daisies: Innocence and joy 
  • Carnations: Beauty and pride 
  • For more information on the meaning of different flowers, visit our blog Petal Talk

What do the colors of carnations symbolize?

  • Red: Mothers who are alive
  • White: Mothers who have passed away
  • For more information on what the colors of carnations mean, visit our blogPetal Talk

Who is predominately ordering flowers for Mother’s Day 2024 – males or females?

  • Approx. 52% of customers ordering flowers for Mother’s Day are males

Who are males purchasing flowers for, on Mother’s Day?

  • Mother, wife/spouse, grandparent, daughter (with children)

Who are females purchasing flowers for, for Mother’s Day?

  • Mother, daughter (with children), sister, aunt, friend/non-relative
boy giving bouquet to mom

Total Number of Flowers and Plants Expected to be Gifted to Mom

  • Blooming plants such as gardenia pants, rose plants, hydrangeas and orchids are the most popular selections. However, green plants and succulents have also gained popularity over the last year.

What is the total number of plants expected to gift to mom for Mother’s Day?

  • Approximately 200,000 plants are expected this year from 1-800-Flowers.com

What is the total number of stems expected to gift to mom for Mother’s Day?

  • Approximately 21 million stems are expected this year from 1-800-Flowers.com
  • Roses, tulips, lilies, gerbera daisies and carnations

What is the total number of roses expected to be gifted to mom?

  • Approx. 7.5 million (35% of total flowers sold) roses are expected to be gifted to mom this year from 1-800-Flowers.com

What is the total number of lilies expected?

  • Approx. 2 million stems (10% of total flowers sold) of lilies are expected from 1-800-Flowers.com.

What is the total number of tulips expected?

  • Approx. 5 million (23% of total flowers sold) of tulips are expected from 1-800-Flowers.com.

Best Flowers to Gift for Mother’s Day

What types of flowers are best to gift for……

  • Mothers?
    • Gift mom a mixed bouquet filled with pink and purple roses, pink lilies and tulips
  • Mothers-in-law?
    • For a mother-in-law, bright mixed bouquets arranged with tulips and gerbera daisies
  • Grandmothers?
    • Grandmothers would love pink roses, daisies, lilies and, the traditional Mother’s Day flower, carnations.
  • Wives?
    • Roses in all colors are perfect for showing wives how much they are loved.

When is the best time to order flowers for Mother’s Day 2024?

  • Don’t wait until Mother’s Day week, when everyone else is placing their orders. Gift-givers will save up to 40% if they order early by May 1st.

Cities Where Most Flowers are Sold for Mother’s Day

What are the top 10 cities where most flowers are sold for Mother’s Day?

The top 10 cities where most Mother’s Day flowers are sold for 1-800-Flowers.com are (in order):

  1. New York, NY
  2. Chicago, IL
  3. Brooklyn, NY
  4. Los Angeles, CA
  5. Houston, TX
  1. San Diego, CA
  2. Las Vegas, NV
  3. San Francisco, CA
  4. Washington D.C
  5. Austin, TX

What are the top 10 cities where most plants are sold for Mother’s Day?

The top 10 cities where most Mother’s Day plants are sold for 1-800-Flowers.com are (in order):

  1. New York, NY
  2. Chicago, IL
  3. Brooklyn, NY
  4. Houston, TX
  5. Austin, TX
  1. Las Vegas, NV
  2. Los Angeles, CA
  3. Washington D.C
  4. San Diego, CA
  5. Denver, CO
Author

Julie is a content strategist at 1-800-Flowers, specializing in campaign marketing and virtual events and experiences. She has written about heartwarming connections in the real world, holidays, and other special occasions.

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