PHOENIX — With prom season in full swing and Mother’s Day around the corner, it is peak season for flower sales, but local florists tell us this is yet another industry feeling the impacts of tariffs.
Mia Ortiz has been surrounded by bright hues and fragrant scents since she was just two years old, when her parents first opened Mia’s Flower Shop.
“Everybody that works here is like a part of my family,” Ortiz said.
Two decades later she is the owner, bringing joy in bundles to the Phoenix community.
However now, Ortiz says the business is bracing for the impact of tariffs.
“They are hurting us as a small business,” she said.
Ortiz explains the fresh blooms in her shop are grown overseas.
“Our roses actually come from Ecuador,” she said.
In the United States, 85% of flowers are grown abroad, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with the top suppliers being Colombia, Ecuador, Canada, the Netherlands, and Mexico. Floral imports from some of those countries now face a 10 to 18% tariff.
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"We've already been told from our wholesalers that prices will increase due to them getting shipped out from overseas,” Ortiz said.
She says many of the items used to make arrangements, like wrapping paper, come from China. Currently, the import tax on goods from China is 145%.
Ortiz says the tariffs leave her little choice.
“At this point, we will have to just raise our prices,” she said.
The Society of American Florists is sounding the alarm on the effects of tariffs on the floral industry. On its website, the national trade association encourages business owners to write to their representatives, asking them to support duty-free access to floral products and oppose new tariffs.
The tariffs come at a time when sales peak.
“It is at a bad timing just because Mother's Day is coming up, and this is one of our biggest sales of the year,” Ortiz said.
Many customers care about the family-run business, like Ruby Ruiz, who is planning to buy flowers for her upcoming quinceañera.
“I'm looking for a bouquet to match my dress,” the 14 year-old from Avondale said.
She says she is happy to shop local, even if tariffs drive prices higher.
“It's really important for me right now... just like by supporting them and like buying stuff,” Ruiz said.
Ortiz is looking to keep prices down for her customers. For instance, instead of large arrangements, she plans to offer more small bouquets that are more affordable.
With student discounts and rollbacks for regulars, Ortiz says she will take whatever steps she can to protect her loyal customers.
“We are here for them. We understand prices are increasing everywhere,” Ortiz said. “We have customers have been coming to us for 20 plus years, so having to raise the prices a lot could affect people coming in.”
