Flowers are beautiful and can brighten someone’s day immensely. Trust me, my girlfriend loves some fresh flowers out of the blue. If you want to buy flowers for yourself or someone else, you probably wonder, do grocery stores sell flowers?
Yes, most grocery stores do sell flowers. Typically grocery store flowers are priced lower than florists because grocery stores buy their flowers in large bulk orders. However, depending on the grocery store location you may have a limited selection of flowers to choose from.
I will tell you more about grocery stores that sell flowers, will show you how you can keep them fresh, and what’s the difference between flowers from a florist and a grocery store.
Do Grocery Stores Sell Flowers?
Most large grocery stores sell flowers to offer customers a convenient way to buy flowers on their regular shopping journey.
Of course, if you need flowers at the last minute, finding a grocery store is also a lot easier than finding a florist, especially because florists are usually not open as much as grocery stores are.
Smaller grocery stores that generally do not have a big selection will often not have flowers for sale as they would not move this type of stock quickly enough. They would then have to deal with rotten flowers, so they decide not to offer this type of product.
What Flowers Do Grocery Stores Typically Sell?
Now that you know grocery stores sell flowers, you probably wonder what kind of flowers are typically available.
Unfortunately, it is hard to give a general answer to this question, as different grocery stores can have wildly different selections of flowers. Some will only sell classics like roses, while others will add something more exotic.
Most grocery stores that sell flowers will have roses, tulips, and some mixed bouquets. You can usually count on something pink being available. If you do not want to waste your time with a trip to the grocery store, you could check their website to get an idea about their usual flower selection, or you can pick up your phone and call them directly.
I decided to go to my local grocery store “Safeway” and found a rather large selection of flowers. Here is what options I had at my local grocery store:
- tulips
- baby’s breath
- roses
- hydrangeas
- lilies
- carnations
- mixed bouquets
- poinsettia
- orchids
- sunflowers
- house plants
- and more!
Find out if grocery stores sell corsages in our article here.
Does Walmart Sell Flowers?
Yes, Walmart sells a wide variety of flowers in their stores, so you are likely to find something you like (or something to give as a gift for a special occasion).
They sell a beautiful lily and rose bouquet with a lovely vase included in the price. Walmart also has tulips and roses in various colors. The ivory roses are outstanding.
Walmart also does flower deliveries which is convenient if you want to send flowers to someone because they live far away, or you do not have the time to visit them – or you want to send someone a lovely surprise.
Does Target Sell Flowers?
Yes, Target sells flowers and a variety of other plants. They have pink azaleas, black dragon wisteria plants (purple), and some other flowers. However, Target’s flowers are generally potted plants or flower bushes for your garden.
Does Trader Joe’s Sell Flowers?
Yes, I live near the Canadian and USA border and I decided to go to Trader Joes to buy some American goodies. I noticed Trader Joe’s has quite a nice selection of flowers for a fair price (in many cases a little better than other grocery stores).
You can see my photo of part of the Trader Joes flowers section in their Bellingham WA location above. They had a full section of flowers in buckets as you walked into the store.
Trader Joe’s sells beautiful roses, mixed bouquets (during Valentine’s, they have special Valentine’s bouquets that are great value), peonies, tulips, hydrangeas, and some other flowers that change periodically.
Trader Joe’s also sells some succulents in cute little pots as an alternative to flowers that die after a while!
Do Grocery Stores Sell Edible Flowers?
Most grocery stores sell some very common edible flowers like basil (yes, that’s actually a flowering herb) – but you will not find them with the potted plants or flower bouquets!
Go to the vegetable and fruit aisles to look for edible flowers. If you are looking for something less common than basil – say, passionflower – you should visit your local farmers’ market or get in touch with a specialized merchant.
Grocery Store Flowers FAQs
How Long Should Grocery Store Flowers Last Compared To Flowers From A Florist?
How long a flower lasts depends on a variety of factors. If you buy a bouquet from a grocery store the day they have been delivered to that store, it may last longer than a bouquet sitting at a florist’s for a few days.
I always inspect my options and make sure the flower doesn’t look like it has started to die and turn brown.
Here are some tips:
- Flowers in a refrigerator are known to last longer than the ones that are not
- Flowers that have not opened yet and have tight buds will last longer than opened buds.
On the other hand, a florist will always take care of their stock very well. The flowers you get from a florist can be in a healthier state than the flowers a grocery store sells.
Other factors that play a role in how long flowers stay fresh are out of the control of either seller – so neither has the advantage. After all, the flowers both places sell are likely to come from the same wholesaler.
Why Are Flowers Cheaper In A Grocery Store?
If florists and grocery stores get their flowers from the same places, why are grocery stores so much cheaper?
Sometimes grocery stores that sell flowers make a small profit from them. Just having the flowers available can attract you to come into their store and purchase additional items. Increasing cart size is very important in the retail world.
However larger grocery stores, the large name ones that you see across the country, will buy flowers in bulk – meaning they buy hundreds if not thousands of the same flower. These arrive in a depot and are then allocated to their hundreds of locations of that grocery store chain.
A chain like Walmart has more buying power than a single florist, so the florist usually cannot take advantage of these huge bulk discounts.
A good florist will often also buy higher quality flowers than a grocery store though – as wholesalers usually sell flowers in different quality grades. The better the quality, the higher the price, especially if you cannot buy in bulk.
Are Florist Flowers Better Than Grocery Store Flowers?
Generally, yes. While grocery store flowers aren’t bad, a florist typically will take better care of the flowers. In a grocery store, they are just put in place as the store hopes to sell these flowers as quickly as possible.
If lucky, the grocery store flowers have someone assigned to them to check on quality and change the water. On the other hand, a florist will always ensure the flowers in their care will be looked after properly, it is their sole business.
A florist will also have a wider selection of flowers and can give you personalized advice on choosing flowers and how to care for them. Only some grocery stores offer personalized bouquets.
A grocery store may place flowers in the wrong location where temperatures and other ambient conditions fasten their degradation (e.g., if they are close to fruit, flowers can go bad faster because of natural chemicals released by certain fruit).
The conditions in a florist’s store will always be perfect for flowers, they are experts on flowers!
How Do I Keep Grocery Store Flowers Fresh?
The first step is always to use a clean vase with fresh water. A beautiful vase like this modern art vase in hand-shape will add some extra beauty as well.
If you need to cut the flower stems before placing them in the vase, it is recommended to cut them underwater (many people do not know that). Put the stems into a bowl with clean water and cut the stems while they are underwater.
You need to change the water in the vase every second day, and also remember to clean the vase with warm water before you put in fresh water!
If you want to keep your flowers fresh even longer, there are other methods, but they will require you to invest extra money, like buying food for cut flowers. Many grocery stores provide little plant food packages with your purchase.
Final Thoughts
There is nothing wrong with buying flowers from a grocery store if you can’t get to a florist or are on a budget.
Be aware that you will usually not receive any advice on buying flowers from grocery stores, so you might want to look up the meaning of the flowers you are interested in buying (especially if they are for someone else).
Buying flowers in a grocery store can be a lot cheaper than buying them at a florist. If you buy fresh flowers regularly, you might want to invest in some flower food for cut flowers, so you can enjoy them for a longer time.
Read our related grocery store articles: