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Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, area florists and greenhouse operators are expecting a good holiday season.
"It is very big for us -- we think this year will be a great year," said Jeff Moist, manager of Warners Florists Gifts Greenhouses in Hollidaysburg. "There are a lot of restrictions and people are sending more flowers and buying them for Christmas. It should be a good year."
Andrea Hammel of Peterman's Flower shop, 608 N. Fourth Ave., agrees.
"Christmas is a monthlong increase in sales, with a lot of last-minute gifts for us," she said. "This year looks to be really good with folks unable to travel and visit. A lot of people are sending flowers, poinsettias and centerpieces because they cannot be there.
"Industry leaders say it should be a stellar year for us as long as we follow the protocols."
The holiday season is the busiest time of the year at Kerr Kreations Floral and Gift Shoppe, 1417 11th Ave.
"We expect to be busier this year because a lot of people are not traveling and spending time with their families for the holiday," operations manager Chelsea Kerr said. "We have really ramped up our delivery service. Some people are scared to travel and are staying home for the holidays."
Early sales have been strong at Piney Creek Greenhouse and Floral in Martinsburg.
"People are decorating even though they are having smaller gatherings," co-owner Lucille Martin said.
Poinsettias remain the top seller at most area locations.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Floriculture Crops 2018 Summary puts the annual U.S. wholesale potted poinsettia market at $149 million, up 6% from 2015 and second only to potted orchids.
Red remains the most popular color.
"They make such an impact and are so traditional for Christmas," Moist said. "Dave Yingling, the greenhouse manager, grows beautiful poinsettias and gets beautiful results. We sell over 3,000 poinsettias in a typical holiday season."
Martin said, "They are popular because of the color; they are the brightest flower. It is the traditional flower for Christmas -- the brightest color you can get. Reds are the most popular, but there are so many newer varieties such as winter rose, pink, white and bicolors, but traditional red is the most popular."
As Martin said, there are many more varieties available today.
"Thanks to the introduction of novelty varieties and unique colors, not to mention design techniques like glitter and painting, consumers have more options than ever when it comes to choosing poinsettias," said Elizabeth Daly, spokeswoman for the Society of American Florists.
"Other colors are becoming more popular. There are new ones called Princettia -- they have mini-blooms on the plant. They come in red, white and pink," said owner Clay Shriver of Potted Memories Greenhouse, Williamsburg.
Poinsettias are not the only big sellers for the holidays.
"We do a lot of fresh arrangements and centerpieces. We have unique gifts in home decorations. We sell a lot of poinsettias but sell more fresh arrangements; we have a unique variety with fresh greens," Kerr said.
The Society of American Florists is optimistic about sales for the holiday season.
"A pre-holiday survey of SAF members found that most retail florists are optimistic about the holidays overall this year -- and, more broadly, we are hearing anecdotally that consumers have really discovered, or rediscovered, their love of all indoor plants during the pandemic period," Daly said.
Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.