Flower meanings
Wax Flowers: Delicate Charm You Can Buy in Toronto
/2 min read
What are wax flowers and why they're loved in Toronto
Wax flowers (Chamelaucium) are small, star-shaped flowers with a waxy shine that florists mostly use as filler. They're native to Western Australia and come in white, pale pink, hot pink and purple. Crush a leaf between your fingers and you'll get a faint lemony scent. People who buy flowers in Toronto like them because they last: two weeks in a vase is common, and they dry well if you hang them upside down afterwards.
How to care for wax flowers
They're tough, but a few things help:
- Recut the woody stems at an angle every 4 to 5 days, with sharp secateurs rather than scissors
- Strip any leaves that would sit below the waterline
- Change the water every day or two to keep bacteria down
- Keep them somewhere cool, away from heat vents and direct sun
- Keep them away from the fruit bowl: ripening fruit gives off ethylene gas, which makes wax flowers drop their flowers early
Where to buy wax flowers in Toronto
Much of the commercial crop comes from Australia and Israel, so in Ontario wax flowers are easiest to find in winter and spring. That's when florists tend to have them, and they often turn up as filler in mixed bouquets.
Wax flower isn't part of our current range at Laris Florist. If you'd like to know whether we can get some for an order, call us at (437) 291-5605 and ask.
Similar flowers in our range
If you like wax flower for its small, airy look, baby's breath does a similar job, and hypericum berries give you the same dotted texture with a bit more colour. Both are in our current range, so have a look through the shop.
