Five Companies That Sell Eco-Friendly Flowers

Finding organic or eco-friendly flowers is easy if you know what to look for, and these flowers do not necessarily cost more than others.  Listed below are five companies that sell widely-available organic or eco-friendly flowers.  Many commercial flowers are grown with high levels of pesticides that negatively affect the health of flower workers and contaminate local groundwater.  Organic flowers are grown without the use of pesticides and are safer for farmers, distributors and consumers.  Eco-friendly flowers, such as those certified sustainable by VeriFlora, may not meet organic standards, but are grown using sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

Organic Bouquet
This florist is the largest online source of organic flowers, and they ship to all fifty U.S. states.  In addition to carrying high quality eco-friendly flowers that are certified organic by the USDA or certified sustainable by VeriFlora, Organic Bouquet has partnered with Carbonfund.org to offset carbon emissions produced from the delivery of flowers by donating money to the Nicaragua Reforestation Project.  Shipping boxes are made from recycled material, and vases are crafted from recycled glass.  Each product on the Organic Bouquet website is accompanied by an explanation of the Eco-Standards for that particular product.  For example, a bouquet of roses may be stamped with the approval of Fair Trade, Rain Forest Alliance and FlorEcuador, while a bouquet of tulips may be certified under VeriFlora and Fair Labor Practices & Community Benefits.

California Organic Flowers
California Organic Flowers is a California-based organic flower farm that ships organic flowers anywhere in the continental U.S.  and also provides local flower deliveries for Chico and Durham.  Flowers are certified organic by the USDA and CCOF, and most of them are grown right on the company's California farm, so consumers need not worry about the costs or ethical issues of imported flowers.  For flowers not grown at the California farm, their origin is listed in the product description, and are guaranteed to be grown using organic methods.  Flowers are sold in season, and the website features a special calendar to inform consumers about the best time to purchase specific flower types.

Flowerbud.com
This online florist ships VeriFlora certified flowers to all fifty U.S. states, and also to a handful of European countries, such as the U.K., Germany, Spain and Italy.  Not all of their flowers are VeriFlora Certified, but eco-conscious consumers need only click on the "VeriFlora Certified Flowers" tab to learn which flowers are eco-friendly.  Many flowers sold by Flowerbud.com are grown in the U.S., but some may be imported.

Whole Foods
Not all of the flowers available at Whole Foods Markets are organic.  Check flower labels for the USDA organic or VeriFlora certifications; most Whole Foods florists stock a limited supply of organic or eco-friendly flowers.  The Whole Trade Guarantee is placed on flowers that meet certain standards for ethical trade and earth-friendly farming.

Trader Joe's
Like Whole Foods, not all flowers available at Trader Joe's are organic or eco-friendly, but certain stores may stock flowers that are certified organic or certified by VeriFlora.  Trader Joe's isn't perfect, but this specialty grocer has made strides toward sustainability in recent years, including stocking more eco-friendly flowers.

Photo Credit:  (UB) Sean R