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Luxurious flowers are reserved for celebrating extra-special occasions and life milestones. A wedding, birthday, family event, or saying goodbye (or hello) to someone important. They’re also perfect for mini moments of celebration, like starting a new job, getting a new home, or unexpectedly landing a jackpot at the casino.
As you’re reading this, you’re most likely in the mood to treat yourself (or a loved one) to a bouquet of luxury flowers So what exactly does that entail?
The qualities of a luxury flower
A florist would consider a luxury flower to have one or more of these qualities.
- Relative rarity. It’s grown in small numbers, and probably has limited, seasonal availability.
- A noteworthy or flawless appearance. Every luxury flower is a captivating show-stopper, thanks to its color, shape, fragrance, texture, or size.
- A cultivation story. Luxe bloom varieties are often hybrids born from years of painstaking research and trial and error that sometimes costs millions.
The world’s most expensive flower (that you can buy) has these qualities
The Shenzhen Nongke Orchid ticks all the luxe defining boxes above and retails for roughly USD $200,000 per plant.
I’ll wait while you pick your jaw off the floor…
It’s rare, blooming every 4-5 years. Its flawless shape and tricolour flowers are stunning. And its cultivation story is one of precision and delicacy.
It took Chinese agricultural scientists at the Shenzhen Nongke University 8 years of research to create this delicate and wholly human-made flower.
But this article isn’t about unattainable, expensive flowers
It’s about providing the information and inspiration you need to create an opulent bouquet or arrangement. One that might nudge your budget a little, but won’t require you to remortgage your house.
10 luxury flower varieties for your bouquet or arrangement
When you want something extra special, ask for one or two of these stems to be included.
1. Dahlias
A symbol of summer, dahlias represent creativity and growth. They come in various colors, shapes, and textures, so there’s a dahlia for every mood. Some of the most popular varieties include ball dahlias, pompom dahlias, decorative dahlias, and waterlily dahlias.
2. King or Queen Protea
Available in pink, red, or white, these Southern Hemisphere natives have all the exotic appeal of a protea. Just on a bigger scale. The King protea can reach 12 inches in diameter, so you may only need one or two for your display.
3. Lily of the Valley
Sweetly scented with delicate, bell-shaped white flowers, lily of the valley is beautiful but short-lived, so your timing has to be perfect. Generally, only available during a short window at the start of spring, once cut, lily of the valley will only look its best for a day or so.
4. Peonies
The peony’s link to royalty and wealth is long established. Historically, it was cultivated exclusively for China’s royal courts before being embraced by upper classes worldwide. Today, peonies symbolize prosperity, good fortune, love, and marital happiness, which makes them a popular choice for wedding bouquets.
5. Phalaenopsis Orchid
Bouquets of cascading orchids are a stunning sight. And the phalaenopsis variety’s array of colors and patterns work best. Their longevity is also a bonus. Once cut, these orchids can maintain their allure for up to 2 weeks. Use the entire plant in your arrangement, and you may get a display that lasts 3 months.
6. Calla Lilies
The calla lily’s smooth shape and single curved petal bring grace and understated beauty to any arrangement. They’re a popular choice if you want to achieve a modern, minimalist style.
7. Garden Roses
Old Garden Roses are prized because they’re the antithesis of modern roses, which are bred for uniformity and grown in huge quantities. The charm of the Garden Rose is that each stem is slightly different, with every ruffled bloom designed by nature and therefore, unique. The one thing all Garden Roses have in common? Their captivating fragrance.
8. Anemone
A member of the buttercup family, the striking color contrast between the anemone’s petals and stamen makes these beautiful blooms a must-have in a luxe bouquet. From a professional standpoint, they’re a pleasure to work with, thanks to their strong stems and long vase life.
9. Butterfly Ranunculus
Unlike the intricate layers of petals found on most ranunculus varieties, the butterfly ranunculus was carefully cultivated to have a single, slightly cupped bloom. A thin layer of wax on the petals makes them shimmer and sparkle. And nothing says luxury like a bit of sparkle.
10. Sweet Pea
Said to symbolize loyalty, friendship, and gratitude, the delicate sweet pea has crinkled petals and a pleasing fragrance. Although they’re relatively easy to cultivate, their fragility and short vase life add to their rarity and appeal.
Why do some cut flowers cost more than others?
The qualities of luxury flowers—rarity, appearance, and how they’re cultivated—inevitably influence cost. But these aren’t the only factors that make them the most expensive bouquet flowers.
To get to the root of luxury flower costs we need to look at the wider processes of obtaining cut flowers.
Getting cut flowers from seed to shop
There are several processes and factors that affect the cost of cut flowers.
- Growing and production space. This includes the cost of the land, as well as the building and upkeep of any greenhouses and growing tunnels.
- Growing conditions. This includes the purchase of fertilizers, running pest management programs, watering the plants, setting up and running artificial lighting, and controlling the temperature. Creating optimum growing conditions often comes with high energy costs.
- Labour costs. This includes planting, ongoing maintenance and care for the plants, the costs of harvesting the flowers, and preparing them for sale.
- Refrigeration and transportation. The stems and buds may need to be stored for a short time before being sent to the wholesaler or florist for sale. And depending on where the stems have been grown and where they’re being delivered, they may be in transit for up to a day.
For luxury varieties of flowers, these processes may take longer and require greater care to ensure that the stems reach the florist in their absolute best condition. Given the higher prices attached to them, it’s certainly in the grower’s interest to make sure their stock delivers the superior blooms florists need.
Head Designer, Gabby, arranging a bouquet of luxe flowers at Gaia Flowers in downtown Las Vegas.
Other factors that can affect flower cost
- Seasonal and weather conditions.
- Trends influencing popularity and demand. (If a flower is en vogue, the price will likely be higher.)
- Import taxes and tariffs.
- Relative robustness. A flower’s fragility can make it hard to work with. Ideally these blooms should be handled as little as possible to ensure they look their best.
Simple techniques for making the most of your luxe blooms
Including luxury flowers can make a bouquet or arrangement feel extra special. And, as with creating anything highly desirable and special, the key is to position noteworthy blooms as the star of the show.
Put them in the spotlight. If they’re large blooms, like a King Protea, peony or calla lily, make them the centrepiece of the arrangement. For smaller flowers, such as Lily of the Valley or sweet peas, think about the size and shape of the arrangement to ensure they don’t get lost in the crowd.
Carefully assemble the supporting cast. Pair with flowers and foliage that will lift the luxe blooms. So you might consider the size and height of other stems, and choose blooms that complement the luxe varieties. It’s also a good idea to keep foliage to a minimum.
Think about the stage on which they’re performing. To make sure your luxurious flowers look their best for the longest time possible, make sure you think about:
- the vase you’re using
- the challenges facing the flowers—whether they’ll be carried, touched, knocked
- and the elements they’ll be facing—indoors, outdoors, natural light or not.
Luxurious flower inspiration
Whether you’re planning to use luxury flowers in a bouquet for your wedding or an arrangement for a milestone event, we understand that you want to make the most of them. If you’re looking for more inspiration so you know what to ask for when speaking to your florist, these articles will help.
Party flowers: 15 event decorating ideas using flowers
The bride’s guide to bridesmaid flowers and bouquets
Choosing your wedding flowers: getting the best florals for your big day
