Myths about Poinsettia's

The Poinsettia is the most widely tested consumer plant on the market today, proving the myth about the popular holiday plant to be false: Scientific research from The Ohio State University has proved the poinsettia to be non-toxic to both humans and pets. All parts of the plant were tested, including the leaves and sap. According to the national information center for poison control centers, a child would have to ingest 500 - 600 leaves in order to exceed the experimental doses that found no toxicity .

- A study by Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University found that out of 22,793 reported Poinsettia exposures there was essentially no toxicity significance of any kind. The study used national data collected by the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

-The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that keeping this plant out of the reach of pets to avoid stomach upset is a good idea, however pet owners need not fear the poinsettia and banish it from their homes for fear of a fatal exposure.

-As with any non-food product, however, the poinsettia is not meant to be eaten and can cause varying degrees of discomfort; therefore, the plant should be kept out of the reach of young children and curious pets.

For information on caring for a poinsettia please call one of our friendly consultants at 314-965-8440. To make a purchase you can either call the same number our visit our website at www.kirkwoodflorist.com. Wishing you all a fantastic holiday.

Flowers really do make you happy

With today’s high-tech and fast-paced lifestyle taking its daily toll on our lives, experts advise exercise and other personal lifestyle changes to relieve stress. According to behavioral research conducted at Rutgers, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health – flowers. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manor far beyond what is normally believed.

A team of researchers explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 10 month study of participants’ behavioral and emotional responses to receiving flowers. The results show that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods.

1. Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All study participants expressed “true” or “excited” smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.

2. Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods. Specifically, study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious, and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.

3. Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

We already associate flowers with making people happy, but this shows that flowers also have a positive effect on our emotional well being.

Missouri's Finest

It sure is hot in St. Louis- close to 100 degrees outside and the humidity is unbearable. Yet this is one of my favorite times of the year, because locally grown flowers are available. I see hundreds of flowers a day, and some of the nicest ones come from right here in Missouri. These flowers are up there with the mass produced South American flowers or the earthy flowers of California. Sunflowers, Black Eyed Susans, Zinnias, Dianthis, Mint, Gladiolas, and my personal favorite-- Coxcomb. All of these flowers are so much fun to work with, and most of them are unique to this time of year. But the best thing about using these flowers is supporting local flower farms. Kirkwood Florist would love to design you a beautiful custom bouquet made of purely Missouri grown flowers. Please give us a call today.

Flowers That Last Longer are not from the Grocery Store

Nothing is more beautiful than walking into a grocery store or other large retailer and immediately seeing the plethora of beautiful colors of different varieties of blossoms and flowers. It is a great impulse sale, and makes all the guys look good coming home with groceries and flowers. But have you ever wonder why those flowers don't last as long as you think they should? Being placed directly at the front entrance exposes the flowers to weather conditions. It doesn't take very long for a poinsettia to wilt in severely cold weather. It doesn't take long for an Easter Lily to blow open in warm weather. Placing these plants at the front entrance increases the chance that they will be damaged by the weather. Also notice that each bunch of flowers is wrapped in cellophane. After a while the cellophane will suffocate the flowers and they will eventually grow mold. How likely is an employee (especially one who could have been working as a bagger the previous day) to recognize the signs of mold starting to form on the flowers? Check each stem in these bunches, and look to see if they still have their naturally grown foliage. It is important to remove this foliage or else the water that travels through the stem will nourish the foliage instead of the blossom, which will make it harder for the flower to bloom. Another reason these flowers don't last is because they are never refrigerated. Most grocery stores I walk into have hundreds of stems of flowers sitting out for all to see- but at the end of the day they continue to sit out, all day, through the night, through the next day and so on. If they were stored in a 40 degree environment, the wilting process would be decreased immensely. How often do you think each bucket that is used to store the flowers is cleaned. Once a month, a few times a year? Your guess is as good as mine but, once a week should be the answer. If those buckets are not properly cleaned bacteria will grow, and in turn will contaminate the flowers. At an independent floral retailer (like Kirkwood Florist) the buckets are carefully and thoroughly cleaned. Most importantly, someone hand selects each flower that is sold in the store. They see each bunch, view and hand examine each flower in person, as opposed to sitting at a desk and ordering them directly from a farm not knowing what the product looks like. The grocery store may not know what they're getting, in turn, neither will you. Come into Kirkwood Florist soon and let us take care of you.