Few holidays evoke the image of flowers like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. Combined, consumers spend nearly $40 billion on all gifts to celebrate the occasions and the two holidays make up about 50 percent of the total dollar volume of holiday floral spending.

Matsui Nursery, one of the larger orchid growers in the United States, sees its sales spike for these holidays. “We sell almost twice as many orchids for Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day as we do for any other time of the year,” said Doug Brothers, vice president at Matsui Nursery in Salinas, CA. “We see the potential for not only increasing sales in 2015, but also an opportunity for retailers to realize a higher transaction price and generate more revenues with upgrades like our orchid gardens and beautiful pottery.”

Brothers said the time is ripe for growth and increasing holiday sales in potted live orchids as consumers look to purchase meaningful but less traditional gifts for their loved ones. “This year, we see our Miltonia orchids competing with the cut flower segment in a way that’s never been done before,” Brothers said. “These living orchid bouquets have dozens of large, fragrant blooms that resemble a pansy. Plus, they have flowers that last six weeks to two months.”

In addition to the millions of Phalaenopsis and Intergeneric orchids it grows each year for retail and wholesale, Matsui Nursery is gearing up to sell 1.25 million Miltonias in 2015.

Valentine’s Day still tops the list as the No. 1 holiday for florists and retail floral departments. According to the 2014 Valentine’s Day survey by the National Retail Federation, one-third of consumers gave flowers or plants as gifts. Retailers say they are seeing more women use Valentine’s Day to show their love for their mothers, children, teachers and friends — even as “gifts” for themselves.

For Mother’s Day, husbands are buying for their wives, children for their mothers, and women are also giving gifts to relatives and friends that have children. “Orchids offer long-lasting and elegant flowers,” Brothers said. “They’re the gift that keeps on giving with blooms lasting anywhere from several weeks to months. Plus, some orchid owners choose to re-bloom their orchids or keep the plant for its foliage. Cut flowers just can’t compete with that.”

Mother’s Day accounts for one-fourth of the floral purchases made for holidays, and about two-thirds of us are buying flowers or plants, spending $2.3 billion, according to a survey by the NRF. Flowering houseplants, including orchids, made up about 36 percent of those floral purchases. In all, Mother’s Day spending neared $20 billion in 2014, making it the biggest shopping holiday after the December holiday season.

In 2015, Mother’s Day falls on May 10 and coincides with Mexico’s Mother’s Day, an extremely popular holiday in Hispanic communities. In many stores on the West Coast, retailers see comparable floral sales on both holidays. Brothers advises retailers to plan ahead for staffing, display and product in what should be the some of the biggest floral sales of the year.

“Something as simple and low-cost as switching out your orchids in everyday terra cotta pots to the elegant upgrade options we offer can increase sales for the holidays,” said Brothers. “Combine that with a stunning display, color-blocking and holiday-themed signage, and you have yourself a home run.”

Not to be forgotten, especially in areas of dense Asian populations, is Chinese New Year on February 19, 2015. “Our Cymbidiums are the best quality in the industry,” Brothers said. “Considered an emblem of good fortune, demand for our yellow varieties will spike for the holiday, so consider pre-booking now to secure your order.”

Brothers added that orchid sales continue to be a growth market for retailers, and the more exotic varieties offer newness and excitement to the category. “Today, orchids are offered in a rainbow of colors, shapes and sizes to fit any décor and budget - plus their blooms last months and look great any time of year. Orchids recently outpaced poinsettias as the best-selling potted flower, and are finding a bigger role in each of the major holidays. They’re just a great go-to gift for all occasions,” said Brothers.

Hillary Fish is marketing manager for Matsui Nursery in Salinas, CA. She can be contacted at 831/422-6433, ext. 213 or [email protected].