Locally grown flowers become trendsetters amid consumer focus on sustainability

By Shannon Pearce and Jessica Schremmer | Thursday 13 February

"Roses are red, violets are blue" is a century-old poem that has become synonymous with declarations of love on Valentine's Day.

But it seems that even the classic rose is not immune to the changing trends of the modern world.

Dahlias and native wildflowers have overtaken the rose in popularity as customers turn away from imported blooms.

Flower Industry Australia chief executive Anna Jabour said rising consumer focus on sustainability led to more people sourcing Australian grown flowers.

"Most of the roses are imported, so I think people are moving away from that," Ms Jabour said.

"People are learning to ask where flowers are from and so a lot of florists can point to Australian-grown varieties."

She said hydrangeas, dahlias, banksias and even Australian-grown chrysanthemums and tulips had grown in popularity.

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