PORTLAND, Maine — If you are shopping for the perfect Mother's Day bouquet, you may notice prices are up and choices are few.
"Supply and demand is definitely a little hard this year," said Jennifer Miller, a florist at Harmon's Floral Company.
Miller and other florists in Maine said the pandemic has created a nationwide flower shortage. She said she has never seen anything like it.
"Just seems like a lot of farms were devastated by the pandemic," she said.
Miller said an arrangement of flowers used to cost roughly $40, but now costs roughly $50 ... and t's not just flowers.
"It's affecting us in regards to, like, hard goods as well, like vases," said Miller.
Amit Shah, president of 1-800-Flowers.com, said the pandemic isn't the only reason for the shortage. He said weather conditions throughout 2020 did not provide an ideal growing environment in many parts of the world where flowers are grown.
He also said a disruption in the supply chain overseas that caused a trickle-down effect could delay containers and vases.
The company said it's working with florists across the country to provide more flexibility in meeting the increased demand for Mother's Day.
Meanwhile, Miller said many people coming in are surprised and she is trying to manage it the best she can.