Speak the language of flowers for Valentine’s Day

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, flowers will be seeing one of their busiest seasons, as colorful blossoms are one of the most widespread ways we show affection. Flowers can be given as single cuttings, decorative arrangements, potted plants or lei.

Here are some tips to guide your floral choices:

In the language of love, flowers have different meanings. Red roses are the classic expression of love. Red chrysanthemums, carnations and tulips are also strong declarations of love.

If you think of your significant other as elegant with a touch of warmth and gentleness, consider orchids or hibiscus, as the graceful appearance of these flowers symbolizes delicate beauty and refinement.

Common in local gardens, the sweet-smelling gardenia tells your sweetheart, “I think you’re lovely.” In Hawaiian songs, loved ones are likened to fragrant flowers such as ginger, tuberose and pikake.

Other flowers may have appropriate messages: protea (diversity, courage) or anthuriums (hospitality).

Color can also convey a specific message. Typically, red expresses love and passion, white purity and honesty, orange happiness and joy, green harmony and good fortune, and pink compassion and motherly love.

To maximize the life of flowers, certain steps must be taken. If harvesting from your garden, make sure to cut flowers at the right stage. Each plant varies, but generally spike-type flowers like snapdragons and orchids should be harvested when about one-half of the flowers on a stem have opened, while daisy-type flowers like chrysanthemums should be plucked when flowers are fully opened.

Exceptions exist; for example, tuberose is a spike type but should be harvested when most flowers have opened. Single flowers like roses should be harvested when the outside petals are just starting to open. Harvest all flowers in the cooler morning hours when water content in plant tissue is high.

Sanitize your garden shears or tools with rubbing alcohol or a diluted bleach solution before cutting to prevent bacteria and disease from spreading. Use a sharp tool to prevent the stem from being crushed, allowing for better water uptake while in a vase. Cut the stem at a 45-degree angle to maximize surface area for water uptake and to prevent stem blockage from lying flat at the bottom of the vase.

Remove any leaves that will be submerged in the vase. Every day or two, re-cut the stems while submerged in water to prevent air from entering the stem. Place the cut flowers in warm water and add flower preservative packets to keep your flowers alive longer.

Flower preservatives contain essential sugars for the plant and additives that maintain the right pH and microbial levels in water. Keep your arrangement in a cool place, away from breezes and fruits, to minimize water loss and flower aging.

By following these practices, your flowers should be looking and smelling wonderful even after Valentine’s Day!

Joshua Silva is a junior extension agent and master gardener coordinator with the Kaua‘i Cooperative Extension Service in Lihue. Email him at jhsilva@hawaii.edu or the Kauai Master Gardeners at KauaiMG@ctahr.hawaii.edu. Visit the Master Gardener Helpline webpage to find contact info for your local Master Gardener program.