Floral Vocab
Color Wheel
the standard color wheel or circle has 12 colors, primary, secondary, tertiary colors; a simple and useful tool for the floral designer.
Cornucopia
A basket or other container shaped like a horn or cone overflowing with fruit, vegetables, flowers, foliage, and grain. Referred to as the 'horn of plenty.'
Floral Preservative
A chemical mixture of sugar, biocide, and citric acid, added to water to extend the life of cut flowers.
Bent Neck
A condition found on cut roses, Bergerac daisies & other flowers when water no longer enters the stem, causing the stem beneath the flower to become weak, resulting in nodding flowers with limp stems that bend over at the "neck."
Line
A continuous pathway for the eye to follow.
Equilateral Triangle
A design form having the shape of a triangle with all three sides of equal length.
Hogarth Curve
A design shape or prominent line in a design in the shape of the letter S.
Form
A design term synonymous with shape or outline.
Free Form Design
A design that is not confined to any geometric shape and generally emphasizes line and texture.
Botanical Design
A design that symbolizes the natural life processes or life cycle of a plant; often features bulb flowers.
Horizontal Line
A flat line, parallel to the tabletop or floor. Horizontal lines provide stability and restfulness.
Interpretive Design
A floral composition that expresses the designers feelings and ideas.
Bud Vase Design
A floral design, usually consisting of one or several flowers, foliage, and fillers, and made in a small vertical container or vase
Full Service Shop
A floral shop that provides every floral product and service needed by customers including delivery and wire service.
Complete Flower
A flower that contains both the male and female parts of the flower, sepals and petals.
Line Flower
A flower with a elongated stem that adds, height, width, and depth, easily sets the framework, shape and size of the arrangement.
Formal
A general term for the classical, symmetrical, or elaborate.
Exotic Flowers
A general term referring to tropical, unusual, and form flowers and foliage.
Corsage
A grouping of flowers, ribbon,and other accessories worn by a woman.
Floral Foam(Oasis)
A highly porous material used to absorb water, support stems, and hold flowers, foliage, and accessories in place in a design.
Chroma
A measure of the intensity or purity of a hue, also called saturation. The relative brilliance or dullness of a color.
Ethylene
A natural plant hormone that is responsible of problems, including blowing of flowers and leaves, leaf yellowing, and flower distortion, it is a colorless, odorless gas that hastens senescence of flowers. Called the aging hormone. It is emitted by ripening fruit, aging flowers and foliage, and equipment used around flowers (exhaust fumes) or cigarette smoke.
Floral Tape
A paraffin coated paper that may be stretched over stems to securely bind them together when creating corsages, boutonnieres, hand held bouquets, and everlasting designs.
Floral Designer
A person who designs or makes original floral arrangements; a talented, creative and skilled florist.
Design
A planned organization of elements to suit a specific purpose.
Harmony
A pleasing relationship among the parts and elements of design.
Fan Shaped
A radiating half circle design.
Mass Flower
A rounded flower at the top of a stem. Used for adding mass or fullness to a design; adds bulk and weight; examples carnations, and roses
Distribution Channel
A route by which floral products move from grower to final consumer. Traditionally involves the grower, auction, broker, wholesaler, retailer, and final consumer.
Boutonniere
A single flower or cluster of flowers worn on a man's lapel.
Mark Up
A system for determining the sale price of an item based on the cost of merchandise
Clustering
A technique of gathering like materials together so closely that the quantity and shape cannot be determined; emphasizing color and texture. Usually tied together with ribbon, raffia, or string.
Isosceles Triangle
A triangle form that has to equal sides and one side different in length. Usually a tall symmetrical triangular floral arrangements.
Chenille Stem
A tufted, velvety, wired stem; available in variety of colors and thicknesses, may be shaped and used as an accessory indesigns (pipe cleaners)
Filler
A type of flower, foliage, or accessory used to fill in spaces in an arrangement, adds interest, and completes design; Covers all void spots
Chaplet
A wreath or garland for the head, customarily made from flowers and foliage; introduced in ancient times.
Garland
A wreath, woven chain of flowers, leaves, or other material used as decoration.
Marketing
All business activity involved in the moving of goods from the grower or producer to the final consumer including selling, advertising, packaging and so on.
Crescent Shape
An asymmetrical floral arrangement in a shape of the letter c or quarter moon.
Geotropism
Bending and curving upward against the force of the gravity, exhibited by gladiolus and snapdragons.
Cool Colors
Blues, greens, and some purples; colors containing these hues, associated with water and ice, generally restful, peaceful, and soothing. Cool colors are receding and fade into the background.
Colonial
Bouquets are typically round and in masses, often combining dried and fresh flowers.
Flexible
Capable of being bent, susceptible for modification or adaptation.
Informal
Casual and relaxed; often asymmetrical and natural.
Form Flowers/Foliage
Denotes an unusual or distinctively shaped flowers/foliage. Attracts attention and provides emphasis
Balance
Design principle; the placement of flowers, foliage, and other objects in strategic locations to create physical and visual stability
Everlasting Flowers
Dried or artificial flowers as contrasted by fresh flowers
Grading
Evaluating crop quality utilizing a standardized system of measurements of crop quality for example, roses are graded according to the length of stem and overall quality
Custom Design
Floral arrangements and service provided specifically for a customer's preference.
Horticulture
Garden Cultivation. The science and art of producing and using ornamental, plants, fruit, and vegetables.
Asymmetrical
Having an unequal visual weight on either side of an imaginary center vertical axis.
Binding
Is the process of tying similar materials together in bunches.
Ikebana
Literal translation: living flowers. General term applied to all Japanese flower arrangements.
Inventory
Merchandise and stock on hand. A listing of stock within the store.
Monochromatic
One color or color scheme. Uses one hue from the color wheel and may include its tints, shades, and tones.
Importer
One who brings in cut flowers, and foliage, and floral products from another country or countries for purposes of sale.
Exporter
One who carries or sends cut flowers, foliage, and floral products to another country or other countries to sell
Domestic Market
Products that are produced and consumed within the same country
Humidity
Refers to the amount or degree of moisture in the air.
Bud Stage
Refers to the stage at which some flowers are harvested, at an immature stage when the blossom is tight and unopened; generally with single flowers, they could continue to open to full potential- examples are roses, peonies, daffodils, iris, and tulips.
Creative
Resulting from originality of thought or expression.
Gauge
Standard scale of measurement used to determine the thickness of wire; the lower the number, the thicker the wire.
Leadership
The ability to lead, or show the way.
Management
The act, art, or manner in managing, or handling, controlling, directing employees, design, inventory, money, and various business affairs.
Foundation
The base of a design from which elements rise.
Focal Point
The center of attraction, often highlighted with a distinctive flower or accessory item. Where eye is attracted
Floriculture
The cultivation and production of floral crops, especially those that are harvested and sold.
Depth
The distance from the front to the back of a design and the viewer's awareness of this distance.
Cascade
The flowers hang down (cascade) below the main portion of the arrangement.
Communication
The interchange of thoughts opinions or information by speech, writing, etc.
Mechanics (floral)
The method of construction of a floral design; the technical aspect.
Common Name
The name by which a flower or foliage is generally known rather by its botanical, scientific name.
Floral Industry
The particular branch of the business that includes the production, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of flowers and floral products.
Layering
The process of compactly overlapping like materials(usually leaves) so that no or little space is left between them. This produces a scale like appearance.
Conditioning
The process of preparing flowers for shipping, storage, or arrangement. It usually involves treatment of flowers in a conditioning solution such as preservative water, hydrating solutions.
Hue
The property that gives a color its name, such as red, blue, yellow, or green.
Goals
The result or achievement toward which effort is directed; the aim.
Feathering
The separation of a flower, especially carnations, into several small florets for use in a corsage or bridal bouquet.
Botanical Name
The two-part Latin name given to plants and flowers, consisting of the genus and species name. These names are used and known worldwide; can be referred to as the Latin name scientific name, or universal name.
Complementary Colors
The use of any two hues located opposite each other on the color wheel.
Color
The visual interpretation of light waves from the visible spectrum.
Contemporary Design
Those arrangements that are currently in fashion, popular, and representative of leading trends in creativity.
Encourage
To inspire with courage or confidence.
Critique
To review or make critical comments.
Display
To visibly show merchandise to the public.
Greening Pin
U shaped pins similar to hairpins; commonly used to secure to foam.
Cooperative
Working or acting together willingly for a common purpose; may also refer to an association of people united voluntarily to meet their common economic needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled business (often agricultural).
Easel
a 3-legged stand constructed of heavy wire or wood used to support and display wreaths, other set pieces, or floral sprays generally at funeral serves.
Floral Holiday
a day that is associated with the giving and receiving of flowers, such as valentines day and mother's day, or a day that is associated with using flowers for decorating such as Christmas and memorial day
Corolla
a group of petals.
Accessory
any material or object, other than plant material, such as candles, bows, novelties, and plush toys, added to enhance the theme of a design. Also may refer to plant materials other than flowers and foliage, such as pine cone,sticks, bamboo, and berries.
Ceramics
decorative or functional items and containers fashioned from clay and fired; includes pottery; stoneware, or porcelain.
Advertising
includes paid promotional activities and supplying information to the public to induce people to buy a product.
Abstract Design
is a free form design in which plant material and non floral items are used in a non-naturalistic way; emphasis on texture, color and form.
Accent
is a subordinate element that enhances the primary structure of the composition. Also, it is used to call attention to or create an emphasis on a particular location in a floral design.
Attitude
is one's manner, disposition, feeling or position toward a person or thing.
Blade(in context of plant part)
is the broad, flat portion of the leaf.
Anchor Tape
is waterproof tape used primarily to hold floral foam in place in floral arrangements; it comes in various widths to suit a variety of projects.
Care and Handling
procedures that involve attention and technique directed toward increasing the longevity of fresh flowers and foliage. With proper care, vase life is increased for the final consumer.
Achromatic
refers to an arrangement without color; any gradation of white, gray or black.