Flower costs rising with 80% of cut flowers sold in US imported

With many consumers already nervous about the cost of groceries and other essentials, here’s your reminder that your yearly Mother’s Day flower purchase may also be pricier than you’re expecting.

A May 5 article from USA TODAY addressed concerns that tariffs could cause significant increases in the price of groceries for American shoppers. Though Trump placed a 90-day pause on what his administration called “reciprocal tariffs” of between 20-49% on more than 70 countries on April 9, 2025, tariffs remain largely steeper than they were pre-Trump.

A 10% baseline tariff on all imported goods, 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada (except those that fall under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement) and a 145% tariff on goods from China remain in place. Several more specific tariffs also remained in place following the pause.

“The 10% ‘default’ tariffs alone represent a truly historic federal tax increase, maybe the largest in my lifetime, with a highly regressive impact,” Thomas Gremillion, director of food policy at The Consumer Federation of America, told USA TODAY.

Here’s what we know about the U.S. floral industry’s connection to other nations, and how much of a change we can expect to see on Mother’s Day and other special occasions many Americans celebrate with gifts of flowers.

How many flowers does the U.S. import?

A May 2025 study from Utah State University found that as much as 80% of all cut flowers sold in the U.S. are imported.

Based on most recent import data recorded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this included roughly $185,000 worth of cut flowers from Canada and Mexico, $3,200 of flowers from China and an additional $2.14 million from a number of other countries in 2023.

The U.S. also imports plenty of cut greens for use in bouquets and flower arrangements, including amounts worth roughly $123,000 from Canada and Mexico, $18,560 from China and $136,269 from other countries in 2023.

How will tariffs affect the cost of my Mother’s Day bouquet?

Though prices vary widely when it comes to bouquets and flower arrangements, many florists have warned of the rising cost of flowers caused by tariffs. San Diego wedding florist Le Champagne Projects warned on their website that, due to the rise in tariffs, wedding flower prices could rise by 10%-25% or more.

Additionally, online florist platform Details Flowers noted that higher prices for flowers and greenery aren’t the only concern for floral designers. Many other supplies used by florists such as vases and baskets are frequently imported from China, which still face tariffs of 145%.

One common piece of advice for consumers among florists discussing rising prices is to simply buy flowers grown in the U.S., and even better, from Upstate growers. Even from local florists, make sure the flowers are grown locally.

When is Mother’s Day 2025?

Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May every year. This year, the date is Sunday, May 11.

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Mother’s Day flowers: Here’s how tariffs could affect costs