Frequently Asked Questions

Meaning of Rose Color

Meanings of Flowers

Month Flowers

Birth Stones

Wedding Anniversary Symbols

Flower Care and Handling

Plant Care Tips

Holiday Dates for two years

How Do Wire Services Work

Where Do Flowers Come From

Why We Don’t Pick Wild Flowers

Where Do Cosentino’s Flowers Come From

Our Flower Dictionary (From our Wedding Section)

State Flowers

1)      Meanings of Rose colors: 

We are often asked what the various rose colors mean, especially in regard to love/hate relationships.

 

A Rose	Always denotes Love
Deep Red Rose	Bashful, shame
A Pink Rose	Grace and gentility
A Red Rose	Respect and courage
A White Rose	I am worthy of you
A Yellow rose	Decrease of Love, Jealousy
Red and White together	Unity

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2)      What do various flowers mean in the Language of  Flowers. 

Used for more than a century, the book written by Kate Greenfield in the 1890’s is sort of a bible for this.  Based on the meanings of Victorian Times, Greenfield listed more than a hundred flowers in her book.  We give the most used ones.

 

Acacia	Chaste love
African Marigold	Vulgar minds
Anemone	I am forsaken
Bachelor Buttons	Single Blessedness
Begonia	Dark Thoughts
Bluebells	Constancy
Calla Lily	Magnificent Beauty
Carnation, Red	Alas for my poor heart
Carnation, Striped	Refusal
Carnation, Yellow	Disdain
China Aster	Variety
Chrysanthemum, Yellow	Slighted Love
Chrysanthemum, white	Truth
Daffodil	Regard
Dahlia	Instability
Forget-me-not	True Love
Fox Glove	insincerity
Gladiolus	Strength of Character
Heliotrope	Devotion
Hyacinth, Purple	Sorrow
Hyacinth, White	Loveliness
Hyacinth, Blue	Constancy
Iris	Message
Ivy	Friendship and Fidelity
Lilac, White	Youthful innocence
Lilac, Purple	First Emotions of Love
Lily, White	Purity and modesty
Lily of the Valley	Return of Happiness
Marigold	Grief and Despair
Mistletoe	I surmount difficulties
Nasturtium	Patriotism
Parsley	Festivity
Pea, Sweet	Departure and lasting pleasure
Poppy, Red	Consolation
Ranunculus	You are radiant
Snapdragon	Presumption
Sunflower	Haughtiness
Tulip, Red	Declaration of Love
Tulip, Yellow	Hopeless love
Zinnia	Thoughts of Absent friends

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3)      Flowers Of The Month

Month	Flower	Botanical Name	Symbolic Meaning
January	Carnation	Dianthus	Capriciousness
February	Violet	Viola	Faithfulness
March	Daffodil	Narcissus	Regard
April	Sweet Pea	Lathyrus	I think of thee
May	Lily of Valley	Convalaria	Humility
June	Rose	Rosa	Love
July	Larkspur	Delphinium Ardent	attachment
August	Gladiolus	Gladiolus	Splendid beauty
September	Aster	Callistiphus Daintiness	elegance
October	Calendula	Calendula Grief	Jealousy
November	Chrysanthemum	Chrysanthemum Optimism	Cheerfulness
December	Narcissus	Narcissus Conceit	self love

 

 

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4)      Birthstones of the month

January	Garnet
February	Amethyst
March	Bloodstone or Aquamarine
April	Diamond
May	Emerald
June	Pearl
July	Ruby
August	Peridot
September	Sapphire
October	Opal
November	Topaz
December	Turquoise

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5)      Wedding Anniversary Symbols

1	Plastics, Clock or Paper	(Flowers are appropriate)
2	Calico, Cotton or China	(Flowers are appropriate)
3	Leather, Crystal or glass	(Flowers are appropriate)
4	Silk, Fruit or Flowers	(Flowers are appropriate)
5	Wood or Silverware	(Flowers are appropriate)
6	Iron, wood, or candy	(Flowers are appropriate)
7	Copper or wool	(Flowers are appropriate)
8	Linen, lace or pottery	(Flowers are appropriate)
9	Pottery or willow	(Flowers are appropriate)
10	Tin, aluminum or diamond jewelry	(Flowers are appropriate)
11	Fashion jewelry or accessories	(Flowers are appropriate)
12	Linen, silk or jewelry	(Flowers are appropriate)
13	Lace or furs	(Flowers are appropriate)
14	Ivory or gold jewelry	(Flowers are appropriate)
15	Crystal or glass	(Flowers are appropriate)
16	Silver hollowware	(Flowers are appropriate)
17	Furniture	(Flowers are appropriate)
18	Porcelain	(Flowers are appropriate)
19	Bronze	(Flowers are appropriate)
20	Platinum or china	(Flowers are appropriate)
21	Brass or nickel	(Flowers are appropriate)
22	Copper	(Flowers are appropriate)
23	Silver plate	(Flowers are appropriate)
24	Musical instruments	(Flowers are appropriate)
25	Silver	(Flowers are appropriate)
26	Original Pictures	(Flowers are appropriate)
27	Sculpture	(Flowers are appropriate)
28	Orchids	(Flowers are appropriate)
29	New Furniture	(Flowers are appropriate)
30	Pearls or diamonds	(Flowers are appropriate)
31	Time Pieces	(Flowers are appropriate)
32	Garnet	(Flowers are appropriate)
33	Amethyst	(Flowers are appropriate)
34	Opal	(Flowers are appropriate)
35	Coral or Jade	(Flowers are appropriate)
36	Bone China	(Flowers are appropriate)
37	Alabaster	(Flowers are appropriate)
38	Beryl or Tourmaline	(Flowers are appropriate)
39	Lace	(Flowers are appropriate)
40	Ruby	(Flowers are appropriate)
45	Sapphire	(Flowers are appropriate)
50	Gold	(Flowers are appropriate)
55	Emerald	(Flowers are appropriate)
60	Diamond Jubilee	(Flowers are appropriate)
75	Diamond	(Flowers are appropriate)
80	Diamond and Pearl	(Flowers are appropriate)
85	Diamond and Sapphire	(Flowers are appropriate)
90	Diamond and Emerald	(Flowers are appropriate)
95	Diamond and Ruby	(Flowers are appropriate)
100	10 Carat Diamond	(Flowers are appropriate)

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6)     How do I get my Flowers to last longer.

A little extra care can make a big difference for any size flower arrangement or fresh flower bouquet.

Most floral arrangements last 4-7 days or longer, depending on the flowers used and the care they receive. The Society of American Florists provides these tips for longer-lasting, more vibrant flowers:

For floral arrangements:

• Keep the vase filled (or floral foam soaked) with water containing a flower food provided by your florist. Flower foods make flowers last longer but it is important to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet. Most packets are to be mixed with either a pint or a quart of water. Flower foods should not be diluted with more water than is specified on the packet.

• If the flower food solution becomes cloudy, replace it entirely with properly mixed flower food solution. If possible, re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Be sure to use a sharp knife or clippers that will not crush the stems. Immediately place the stems into solution.

• Keep flowers in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit), away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, or on top of televisions or radiators. (Appliances like televisions give off heat, which causes flowers to dehydrate.) Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions.

For loose bunches or boxed flowers:

• Keep your flowers in a cool place until you can get them in a flower food solution. Don't forget how important it is to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet.

• Fill a clean (washed with a detergent or antibacterial cleaning solution), deep vase with water and add a flower food from your florist.

• Remove leaves that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water will promote bacterial microbial growth that may limit water uptake by the flower.

• Re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Place the flowers in the vase solution you've prepared.

• If you purchase loose flowers for your own arrangements you should also consider these tips:

• When selecting flowers, look for flowers with upright, firm petals and buds beginning to open. Yellow, spotted or drooping leaves are signs of age.
• When using woody stems and branches (such as quince, forsythia or lilac), cut the stem with sharp pruning shears. Place them in warm water containing fresh flower food to promote flower opening.

 

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Plant Care Tips: Green Thumb Not Required

Not only are green and flowering plants a great enhancement to any home or office decor, they are also beneficial to your health. The results of a study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) show that common houseplants are powerful, natural air cleaners.  That’s all the more reason why you want to keep your plants healthy with the proper care.

Most plants come with care instructions specified for the type of plant. The Society of American Florists provides these additional general guidelines to keep most green houseplants thriving:

Keep plants in medium-light locations - out of direct sunlight
Natural light is best, but some plants can also thrive in office fluorescent light. Most flowering potted plants should be placed in areas with the most light in order to maintain good flower color and promote the maximum number of flowers to open. Foliage plants will do well under lower light levels and can be placed in areas providing reduced light.

Plant soil should be kept moist at all times
Plants should not be allowed to dry out or wilt. Be careful to avoid overwatering - do not allow plants to stand in water. Avoid wetting plant leaves.

Avoid excessive heat or cold
Plants should be kept in a cool spot (between 65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit) for best performance. They should be kept away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, or on top of televisions or radiators. (Appliances like televisions give off heat, which causes plants to dehydrate.)

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7)     Holiday dates for two years 

Holiday	2011	2012
January Holidays
New Year's Day	Sat Jan 1, 2011	Sun Jan 1, 2011
Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday	Sat Jan 15, 2011	Sun Jan 15, 2012
Martin Luther King Jr. Day	Mon Jan 17, 2011	Mon Jan 16, 2012
February Holidays	2011	2012
Groundhog Day	Wed Feb 2, 2011	Thurs Feb 2, 2012
Chinese New Year	Thurs Feb 3, 2011	Mon Jan 23, 2012
Lincoln's Birthday	Sat Feb 12, 2011	Sun Feb 12, 2012
Valentine's Day	Mon Feb 14, 2011	Tues Feb 14, 2012
Susan B. Anthony Day	Tues Feb 15, 2011	Wed Feb 15, 2012
President's Day	Mon Feb 21, 2011	Mon Feb 20, 2012
Washington's Birthday	Tues Feb 22, 2011	Wed Feb 22, 2012
Ash Wednesday **	Wed Mar 9, 2011	Wed Feb 22, 2012
March Holidays	2011	2012
Daylight Saving Time Begins	Sun Mar 13, 2011	Sun Mar 11, 2012
St. Patrick's Day	Thurs Mar 17, 2011	Sat Mar 17, 2012
Spring Equinox	Sun Mar 20, 2011	Mon Mar 19, 2012
April Holidays	2011	2012
April Fools Day	Fri Apr 1, 2011	Sun Apr 1, 2012
Palm Sunday **	Sun Apr 17, 2011	Sun Apr 1, 2012
Passover * **	Tue Apr 19, 2011	Sat Apr 7, 2012
Good Friday **	Fri Apr 22, 2011	Fri Apr 6, 2012
Easter Sunday **	Sun Apr 24, 2011	Sun Apr 8, 2012
Arbor Day	Check Here	Check Here
Earth Day	Fri Apr 22, 2011	Sun Apr 22, 2012
Administrative Professionals Day	Wed Apr 27, 2011	Wed Apr 25, 2012
May Holidays	2011	2012
Cinco de Mayo	Thurs May 5 , 2011	Sat May 5, 2012
National Teacher Day	Tues May 3 , 2011	Tues May 1, 2012
Mother's Day	Sun May 8, 2011	Sun May 13, 2012
Armed Forces Day	Sat May 21, 2011	Sat May 19, 2012
Memorial Day (Observed)	Mon May 30, 2011	Mon May 28, 2012
Memorial Day	Mon May 30, 2011	Wed May 30, 2012
June Holidays	2011	2012
Dairy Month	All Month	All Month
Flag Day	Tues Jun 14, 2011	Thurs Jun 14, 2012
Father's Day	Sun Jun 19, 2011	Sun Jun 17, 2012
First Day of Summer	Tues Jun 21, 2011	Thurs Jun 21, 2012
St Jean Baptiste (Quebec)	Fri Jun 24, 2011	Sun Jun 24, 2012
July Holidays	2011	2012
Canada Day (Canada)	Fri Jul 1, 2011	Sun Jul 1, 2012
Independence Day	Mon Jul 4, 2011	Wed Jul 4, 2012
Parent's Day	Sun Jul 24, 2011	Sun Jul 22, 2012
August Holidays	2011	2012
Friendship Day	Sun Aug 7, 2011	Sun Aug 5, 2012
September Holidays	2011	2012
Labor Day	Mon Sep 5, 2011	Mon Sep 3, 2012
Patriot Day	Sun Sep 11, 2011	Tues Sep 9, 2012
Grandparent's Day	Sun Sep 11, 2011	Sun Sep 9, 2012
Rosh Hashanah *	Wed Sep 28, 2011	Sun Sep 16, 2012
First Day of Autumn	Fri Sep 23, 2011	Sat Sep 22, 2012
Yom Kippur *	Sat Oct 8, 2011	Mon, Sept 26, 2012
October Holidays	2011	2012
Columbus Day (Observed)	Mon Oct 10, 2011	Mon Oct 8, 2012
Thanksgiving Day (Canada)	Mon Oct 10, 2011	Mon Oct 8, 2012
Columbus Day	Wed Oct 12, 2011	Fri Oct 12, 2012
National Boss Day	Mon Oct 17, 2011	Tue Oct 16, 2012
United Nations Day	Mon Oct 24, 2011	Wed Oct 24, 2012
Halloween	Mon Oct 31, 2011	Wed Oct 31, 2012
November Holidays	2011	2012
Daylight Saving Time Ends	Sun Nov 6, 2011	Sun Nov 4, 2012
Election Day	Tue Nov 8, 2011	Tue Nov 6, 2011
Veterans Day (USA) Rememberance Day (Canada)	Fri Nov 11, 2011	Sun Nov 11, 2012
Thanksgiving Day	Thu Nov 24, 2011	Thu Nov 22, 2012
December Holidays	2011	2012
Hanukkah *	Wed Dec 21, 2011	Sun Dec 9, 2012
First Day of Winter	Thurs Dec 22, 2011	Fri Dec 21, 2012
Christmas Day	Sun Dec 25, 2011	Tues Dec 25, 2012
Boxing Day (Canada)	Mon Dec 26, 2011	Wed Dec 26, 2012
Kwanzaa Begins	Mon Dec 26, 2011	Wed Dec 26, 2012
NewYear's Eve	Sat Dec 31, 2011	Mon Dec 31, 2012

Holidays in red are Federal Holidays in the United States
*All Jewish holidays begin at sundown the day before they are listed above**Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Passover, Good Friday and Easter Sunday can fall in different months.

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8)     How does a wire service work?

Wire services have been a part of the American way of life since about 1917, when a group of florists in western New York State met to find a way to be able to exchange inter-city orders while being assured of payment and quality of flowers delivered.  Thus was FTD born.

Today FTD and Teleflora are leaders in this business.  Florists join one or both of these organizations and can be assured that their orders will be properly handled. Thanks, of course, to regular inspections of shops and books by teams of representatives.  In essence, when you order something for out of town from Cosentino’s we call it in to a florist in that distant city. He fills the order, based on his own pricing.   At the end of the month everyone reports to the service all the orders that were filled by his shop, during the month and, thanks to a wonderful computer system that figures discounts and rebates and various charges, every florist gets either a check or a bill.

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9)     Where Flowers Come From
Imports account for approximately 70% of fresh cut flowers sold in the United States. Today, at Cosentino’s, you may find flowers and greens from around the world.  Communications, computers and transportation have made this possible.

a)     South America.  Since the mid-1970’s, when a group of Colombians built their first greenhouses, more and more of our flowers come from that part of the world. Today we import nearly 2 million carnations - - every day  - - from Colombia.  Nearly a million roses come every day from Ecuador.  The main production in South America is in lilies, carnations, roses, daisy mums and alstroemeria.  Why?  Land values are cheaper.  An acre near Bogota sells for about $3000.  Recently one of our suppliers in California knocked down his greenhouses and sold the land for $450,000 and acre.  The climate is better and there are 12 hours of sun and 12 hours of night, year round.  Labor tends to be somewhat less expensive and there is plenty of it.  Just a few of the reasons. 

b)     Canada.  Wow, Canada is north of us and they ship flowers to us?  Why?  Basically, on the Niagara peninsula, at the western end of Lake Ontario there is an area, probably 5 miles wide and 25 miles long, that has moderate temperatures and a very high light situation that is very conducive to growing.  Add to that the fact that after WW 2, many Dutch families immigrated to this area and followed their family tradition of greenhouse growing and you have a very productive area.  An area in western Canada, the Vancouver area, offers very much the same situation.

c)      Around the world.  Typically, many of our orchids arrive from Singapore and Malaysia.  We get delphinium and liatris that have been grown in Zimbabwe, in Central Africa.  Some of our foliage comes from Mexico and certainly Anthurium and Birds of Paradise are from Hawaii.  Costa Rica has recently entered the realm of producing flowers for shipment around the world.  Now add to that mix, carnations from San Remo, Italy, exotic wild flowers from Australia and mini carnations from Israel and you begin to realize why there are so many choices throughout the year.

Top 6 Import Countries (2004)		Top 6 Growing States (2003)
Cut flowers:		Cut flowers:
Colombia	59%	California	72%
Ecuador	19%	Florida	5%
European Union	10%	Washington	4%
Canada	3%	Hawaii	4%
Costa Rica	3%	Oregon	3%
Mexico	2%	Michigan	2%

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10) Why don’t we just send staff out and pick wild flowers?  Wouldn’t we be able to lower our prices?

a)     Yes, we do sell Golden Rod and daisies that you could simply go out and pick.  But, two factors prevent it; the cost of sending an employee out in the van for a trip to the countryside and the time to pick the flowers are primary.  It is cheaper to buy them. Those products we bring in to the store from the market are free of insects.  They have been greenhouse grown.  Some folks might object to insects that might come along with those flowers picked out in the countryside.

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11) Where does Cosentino’s get their flowers? 

a)     Fortunately Cosentino’s is a large enough florist that we do not need to depend solely on local wholesalers.  Don’t get us wrong, local wholesalers (Syracuse and Rochester) provide us an important service.  But, by “buying direct” we are able to get flowers faster and keep our prices low.  We DO use local wholesalers for about half of our flowers.  But, we also buy from a shipper in Miami, who air ships to us, from a company in California that FED Ex’s and from a company in Canada that delivers really fresh product to our door 3 times every week.  For special needs we might call a friend at the New York Flower market or get it shipped in from a contact in Amsterdam, Holland.  The world is our marketplace.  It is all these contacts that allow us to have more and different product for you all the time and to meet your special needs.  And, thanks to you, our customer, we sell enough flowers every day to make all of this work.

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12) What are the State Flowers

Alabama	Camellia
Alaska	Forget-Me-Not
Arizona	Saguaro Cactus blossom
Arkansas	Apple Blossom
California	California Poppy
Colorado	Rocky Mountain Columbine
Connecticut	Mountain Laurel
Delaware	Peach Blossom
Florida	Orange Blossom
Georgia	Cherokee Rose
Hawaii	Hawaiian hibiscus
Idaho	Mock Orange
Illinois	Native Violet
Indiana	Peony
Iowa	Wild Prairie Rose
Kansas	Sunflower
Kentucky	Goldenrod
Louisiana	Magnolia
Maine	White Pine Cone
Maryland	Black Eyed Susan
Massachusetts	Mayflower
Michigan	Apple Blossom
Minnesota	Lady Slipper
Mississippi	Magnolia
Missouri	Hawthorn
Montana	Bitterroot
Nebraska	Goldenrod
Nevada	Sagebrush
New Hampshire	Purple Lilac
New Jersey	Violet
New Mexico	Yucca
New York	Rose
North Carolina	Flowering Dogwood
North Dakota	Wild Prairie Rose
Ohio Scarlet	Scarlet Carnation
Oklahoma	Oklahoma Rose
Oregon	Oregon Grape
Pennsylvania	Mountain Laurel
Rhode Island	Violet
South Carolina	Yellow Jasmine
South Dakota	Pasque Flower
Tennessee	Iris
Texas Blue	Texas Bluebonnet
Utah	Sego Lily
Vermont	Red Clover
Virginia	American Dogwood
Washington	Coast Rhododendron
West Virginia	Rhododendron
Wisconsin	Wood violet
Wyoming	Indian Paintbrush

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