Why did my bouquet come with flower food — or why didn't it?Updated 6 months ago
It depends on the flowers. Some varieties thrive with commercial food; others actually do worse with it. We include a packet only when it'll help the specific blooms you received.
Flowers that benefit from food: roses, carnations, mums, and most mixed bouquets — these get a vase-life boost from commercial food.
Flowers that prefer to go without:
- Tulips actually have shorter vase life with flower food — they prefer plain cold water (and fun fact: tulips keep growing after they're cut)
- Daffodils and narcissus release a sap that's harmful to other flowers, so they're usually arranged alone with no food
- Dried arrangements don't need hydration at all
So whether your bouquet came with a packet or without, it's what your specific flowers wanted.
Basic care either way:
- Fill a vase with clean water (cold for tulips); dissolve the food packet if you got one
- Trim at least 1 inch off each stem at an angle
- Place the bouquet in the water
- Change the water every 2-3 days and re-trim the stems each time
Keep your bouquet away from direct sun, heat sources, and ripening fruit (which releases a gas that shortens vase life).
Questions about your specific bouquet? Let us know what you received and we'll share care tips tailored to your flowers.