FLOWER SHIPMENT & FLOWER CARE


Flower Shipment Schedule:

Most shipments are delivered from Bogota, (Colombia) and Quito, (Ecuador) to San Francisco.

Please note that all orders need to be placed at least 12 days before order due date, as for growers' availability.

Also, please note during holidays, specially such as Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, all flower availability and shipping logistics differ, so make sure to place an order in advance, at least two to three weeks notice!  Also note that particular varieties are subject to seasons' availability.

You may browse Our Flowers Page for list of variety of flowers.

A Flower Shipment Timeline:

1 . From the farm growers in Colombia and Ecuador, the flowers are packed according to the specific requirements of each customer and placed in the cooler where they will spend the night.

2 . The following morning, refrigerated trucks pick up the boxes that will be taken to the airport.

3 . At the airport the cargo is also received into a cooling facility and kept there until the plane is ready for departure.

4 . The flight duration to Miami International Airport is usually 3-4 hours.

5 . The boxes are unloaded, taken to be x-rayed and checked by Customs and Department of Agriculture.

6 . Once inspection has passed, Customs releases the Airway Bill and the flowers are ready for pick-up by a freight forwarder.

7 . After the flowers are cleared by the USDA and Customs, these are transported into another flight to San Francisco Airport or via truck on route to San Francisco at the flower mart direct.

8 . Once these arrive, one of our freight carriers will pick up and transport in a refrigerated truck and drop off boxes at our store inside the SF Flower Mart – Our flowers will be stored at our warehouse’s cooler. (The cooler’s temperature is at 34 F).

Quality Control:

Sunshine Flowers International's mission is to offer fresh cut flowers at competitive production and distribution costs, excellent quality, enduring consistency from our growers, and personalized service to all clients.

We'll be happy to assist you with any questions regarding variety of flowers and specifications, and all other inquiries. In case an order does not pass the USDA Customs inspection at the Miami and/or San Francisco International Airports, the flowers must be fumigated or dumped. It is recommended by most horticulturists and the USDA to dump failed inspection of flowers. If this occurs, you will not be charged for that shipment.

There are unexpected surprises while inspection...at anytime the best quality flower may arrive with insects or mites. Fresh cut flowers are perishable goods. If this happens, Sunshine Flowers International will alert the customer as soon as the situation emerges and offer other options. 

Flower Care for Hydrangeas and Roses

1. Fill containers (buckets/vases) with at least 4 inches of fresh, cool water.
   Insert flower food (like "Floral Life" or "Chrysal") in the water depending on size of the container, you add more or less.
   
   
2. Use sharp scissors or a knife, cut the stems diagonally under running water approximately an inch from each stem's bottom edge.
   
   
3. Immediately after cutting, place the stems in the prepared water. 
   
   
4. Allow flowers at least 4 hours to hydrate well. 
   
   
5. Keep flowers away from direct sunlight, or excessive heat. 
   
   
6. Change water every 3 days to keep flowers fresh. Assure that you have sufficient water in the vase as the flowers will drink an exceptionally large amount of water upon arrival, especially hydrangeas.

Proper Handling of Tropicals and Foliage/Greens

1. Do not expose boxes to the sun.
   
   
2. Never place tropicals in the coolers. Always keep them between 55-75 F, or 12-23 C.
   Avoiding the cold is very important for tropicals and greens. 
   
   
3. Cut the tip 1-2 cm of the stems to facilitate hydration to ease water absorption.
   
   
4. Tropicals do not only take water through the stem but also from their environment, just like in the rainforest, so it is good to spray with water regularly.