Flowers insolita Blog

(Authentic) Rainbow roses from Netherlands

“Rainbow roses”, also known as “Happy Roses” by the original developer, are actually dyed white roses.  Using a patented method, they are dyed in such a way that each petal acquires different coloration, resulting in brillaint “rainbow” colors.

Flowers insolita can obtain these unique roses from Holland for you.  If you are interested, please take a look at our “Rainbow Roses | Happy Roses” page.

For more info, visit:

www.happy-roses.com

This video is from Reuter news.

http://www.reuters.com/news/video/videoStory?videoId=8040

Other videos are here:

http://www.happy-roses.com/videogallery/

Cheap knockoff from South America

Recently, we became aware that knockoffs of rainbow roses from South America started circulating in the market.  They are significantly cheaper than authentic Rainbow roses from Holland.

We have tested this knockoff and found that their quality does not meet our standard.

Their colors are dull (compare the two pictures).  Also, many buds fail to open.

Flowers insolita believes that consumers should stay away from these knockoff.

There are three kinds of lilies available as cut flowers. They are (1) Asiatic lilies, (2) LA-Hybrid lilies, and (3) Oriental lilies. All of them are hybrids of many different species.

(1) Asiatic lilies are colorful, but the smallest (therefore least expensive) among the three. The bloom size rarely exceeds 4″ and the flowers are non-fragrant. Most cut lilies sold by mass-marketers are Asiatic lilies. Expect the vase life of 5-7 days. We don’t carry Asiatic lilies; we use LA-Hybrids instead (see below).

(2) LA-hybrid lilies are the hybrids of Longiflorum (trumpet) and Asiatic lilies. They are as colorful as Asiatic, but significantly bigger and stronger than Asiatic lilies. The bloom size is 4-6″; the flowers are typically non-fragrant. Expect the vase life of 7-10 days. In our opinion, for colored lilies, LA-hybrids are much better values than Asiatic lilies.

(3) Oriental lilies are the biggest of the three and typically most expensive. They are available in a few colors: white, pink, and pale yellow, and, occasionally, dark purple (called “Sumatra“). The bloom is as big as 6-8″; the flowers can be intensely fragrant. Unfortunately, some people are allergic to the smell. Expect the vase life of 10-14 days.

Buying tips

1) Don’t count the number of stems; count the number of buds. Don’t be fooled by cheap stem-price. Cheap lilies probably carries only 2-3 buds per stem, whereas reasonably priced lilies should carry at least 3-4 buds per stem (4-6 buds are better). Some of the premium-grade Oriental lilies carry as many as 6-8 buds per stem.

2) Look for a thick, sturdy stem. Lilies are top-heavy. Unless the stem is strong, when you arrange them in a vase, they might droop. Also, weak, soft stems often indicate a prolonged storage and/or temperature fluctuation during transport.

3) Look for healthy leaves. If the leaves look yellowish, they probably sustained ethylene damage. Do not buy them.