A special delivery of flowers can quickly brighten anyone’s day. Maybe you prefer a dozen roses, a mixed bunch or another variation. Either way, blossoms of all kinds can spark delight in us. There’s something beautiful about giving and receiving bouquets for a joyous occasion.
In honor of this year’s Valentine’s Day and Black History Month, I decided to create a list of Black-owned floral shops on Instagram that have caught my attention and heart. Hopefully, you’ll love them as much as I do.
1. Oat Cinnamon
InstaGram: @oatcinnamon
Founded in 2019 by Ryan Norville, this Brooklyn-based studio offers a range of florals in various pastel hues. Pampas grass, anthuriums and fern stems are some of the blooms you’ll find in their dried bouquets that would make a great present for someone’s home. Norville reigns in botanical innovations with an expansive skillset stemming from graphic design and fashion. As seen in West Elm and other clients, Oat Cinnamon offers excellent floral arrangements that can elevate any room.
2. Salt + Stem
Instagram: @saltstem_ chs
Daniella Doyle started her wandering flower truck in 2019 with her vintage Ford pickup. Located in Charleston, South Carolina, Doyle sells flowers in the back of her white truck at pop-ups, festivals and other events. Lovingly named Virginia, her vehicle carries a mix of fresh and dried seasonal blooms from local growers. Yuri Hana Flower Farm and Feast & Flora are some locations that supply Doyle with buds for her business.
Her expertise also goes beyond selling flowers. Doyle creates bouquets, installations and set designs for weddings. Salt + Stem is often recognized for its floral displays at marriage ceremonies. Publications such as Vogue and Wedding Chicks have taken notice of this specialty.
3. The Petal Effect
Instagram: @petaleffect
Operating in Los Angeles, The Petal Effect is known for its vibrant flowers selected by Tobore Oweh, the founder and creative director. For Oweh, flowers in all their unique forms can improve our well-being and mental health. Since her boutique’s launch in 2020, she has shown the therapeutic effects of nature in her designs. Bold pigments spanning the entire rainbow are a norm in her shop. Oweh’s colorful blooms have appeared in magazine editorials for ELEVEN11 and model photoshoots for Choyce Brown. If you love vivid hues, The Petal Effect should be on your flower radar.
RESOURCE: Black Girl Florists
INSTAGRAM: @blackgirlflorists
As a finishing touch to this list, I couldn’t move on without adding Black Girl Florists as an amazing resource for further exploration. Established in 2020 by Valerie Esther Crisostomo, an Atlanta-based florist and event planner, Black Girl Florists is an online space that celebrates and encourages the growth of Black women in the floral industry. This community connects florists and enthusiasts throughout the country and even abroad. Additionally, their website features an ever-growing list of shops, which comes in handy when you’re searching for a local Black women-owned business in your area.
Crisostomo is currently expanding her brand, with its first conference set for March 25th-27th, 2022, in Atlanta. There’s a lot of valuable information and exciting events from Black Girl Florists, so I recommend signing up for their email list to see new updates.