Cut flowers keep respiring after cutting and respiration rises exponentially with temperature, so the vase life the customer gets depends directly on the heat picked up in transit. The recommended condition for most cut flowers is 0-1 °C and 95-99% relative humidity.
| Group | Temperature | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Most cut flowers | 0-1 °C, 95-99% humidity | Condensation and grey mould call for a steady temperature |
| Chilling-sensitive tropicals: anthurium, bird of paradise, ginger, tropical orchids | Above 10 °C | Darkening of leaves and petals and tissue collapse below 10 °C |
Ethylene is the second risk: carnations, gypsophila and some roses wilt fast at very low concentrations, and above 100 ppb it can cause damage. Banana ripening rooms and combustion-engine forklifts are sources, so flowers travel apart from them. At 0-2 °C ethylene production and action are very small, so flowers held at that temperature can share a room with fruit and vegetables kept at the same 0-2 °C.
In the box, keep flower heads 6-10 cm in from the end and do not block the openings left for air flow. Ice or a coolant element should surround the product but must never melt onto the flowers. Gladioli, snapdragons, lisianthus and gerberas travel upright.
When comparing protocols, the temperature trace shows the process and vase life shows the result. Observe samples from the same lot in identical vases, water and room conditions, record opening, wilting and discard dates, and link dispatch times and the temperature trace to the delivery record.
