Flowers in Season by Month: the Complete Florist's Calendar
What's in season right now: tulips and anemones Jan–Feb, ranunculus Mar–Apr, peonies May–Jun, dahlias Sep–Oct — every month mapped, with sourcing tips and prices.
Every flower has a peak season when quality is highest and price lowest. Buying in season saves 30-70% versus off-season imports and delivers the best cut-flower quality of the year.
This guide covers month-by-month flower availability in the Northern Hemisphere. For Southern Hemisphere, shift the calendar 6 months.
TL;DR. Northern Hemisphere flower calendar: January-February tulips + anemones; March-April ranunculus + hyacinth; May-June peonies + roses; July-August hydrangea + sunflowers; September-October dahlias + chrysanthemums; November-December amaryllis + orchids.
Month-by-month reference
January
Peak: anemones, hyacinth, forced tulips, hellebore, amaryllis
Wedding focus: deep winter palette — burgundy, evergreen, white
Prices: off-season for most flowers; anemone imports at peak availability
Substitute strategy: garden roses fill for peony aesthetic; cymbidium orchids extend luxury
February
Peak: anemones (Italian Mistral premium), ranunculus (early), tulips, hyacinth, hellebore
Wedding focus: Valentine's Day peak drives rose demand; also premium anemone weddings
Prices: roses 20-30% higher due to Valentine's; anemones stable
Best month for: anemone-focused weddings
March
Peak: ranunculus (Cloni Success premium), tulips (peak season begins), daffodils, hyacinth, muscari, forced peonies (Netherlands)
Wedding focus: spring palette emerging — blush, coral, lilac
Prices: ranunculus stable; garden roses easing from Valentine's peak
April
Peak: ranunculus (peak), tulips (peak field), lilac, hyacinth, peonies (early Netherlands), sweet peas, forget-me-nots
Wedding focus: spring garden aesthetic
Prices: ranunculus at bottom of the year; tulips widely available and cheap
May
Peak: peonies (peak begins), tulips (late), lilac, garden roses begin, sweet peas, delphinium
Wedding focus: peony weddings; garden rose supply beginning
Prices: peonies at bottom of the year during peak; ranunculus still available
Best month for: peony-focused weddings
June
Peak: peonies (peak continues), garden roses (peak Northern), sweet peas, delphinium, lisianthus, hydrangea (begins)
Wedding focus: peak wedding month; all mid-summer flowers available
Prices: peonies best value all year; garden roses at peak supply
Best month for: garden rose weddings, peony weddings
July
Peak: hydrangea (peak), garden roses, sweet peas, sunflowers, lisianthus, dahlias (early)
Wedding focus: summer garden and coastal palettes
Prices: hydrangea at bottom; garden roses continuing
Best month for: hydrangea-focused weddings
August
Peak: hydrangea (peak continues), garden roses, sunflowers, zinnias, dahlias (main season begins), cosmos
Wedding focus: summer-to-autumn transition; warm palettes
Prices: hydrangea peak; dahlias entering high supply
September
Peak: dahlias (Cafe au Lait peak), chrysanthemums (autumn peak begins), roses, garden roses, cosmos, sunflowers (late), antique hydrangea
Wedding focus: autumn wedding peak — warm palette dominance
Prices: dahlias at peak availability; antique hydrangea premium
Best month for: dahlia-focused weddings
October
Peak: dahlias (Cafe au Lait continues), chrysanthemums (peak), antique hydrangea, roses (autumn palette), cymbidium orchids (early season)
Wedding focus: peak autumn wedding month; deep burgundy and copper palettes
Prices: dahlias still peak; chrysanthemums best value all year
Best month for: chrysanthemum-focused weddings, autumn palette work
November
Peak: chrysanthemums (continues), amaryllis, ilex (winter berry), skimmia, cymbidium orchids
Wedding focus: transition to winter palette — burgundy, gold, white
Prices: chrysanthemums remain cheap; winter flowers rising
December
Peak: amaryllis, holly (ilex), skimmia, forced tulips, cymbidium orchids, poinsettia
Wedding focus: winter luxury — white + evergreen + gold
Prices: amaryllis peak availability; forced tulip supply increasing for Christmas
Best month for: winter luxury weddings, holiday installations
Available year-round (with seasonal price shifts)
- Roses — Ecuador, Kenya, Colombia supply weekly
- Chrysanthemums — greenhouse year-round
- Alstroemeria — greenhouse year-round
- Orchids (phalaenopsis) — Netherlands, Thailand supply
- Lilies — greenhouse year-round
- Lisianthus — greenhouse (some seasonal peak)
- Carnations — greenhouse year-round
- Waxflower — Netherlands supply
Off-season sourcing strategy
For weddings requiring specific flowers off-season:
- Southern Hemisphere imports — Chile, New Zealand, South Africa fill peonies, dahlias in Northern winter
- Forced greenhouse (Netherlands) — tulips, ranunculus, peonies year-round at premium
- Local greenhouse producers — small-scale, region-specific
Expect 2-4× peak-season pricing for off-season flowers.
Seasonal palette guide
| Season | Best palette |
|---|---|
| Winter (Dec-Feb) | White + burgundy + evergreen + gold |
| Spring (Mar-May) | Blush + cream + green + soft yellow |
| Summer (Jun-Aug) | Coral + peach + terracotta + white |
| Autumn (Sep-Nov) | Burgundy + rust + copper + gold |
Common seasonal mistakes
Ordering peonies for October wedding. Peonies at 3-4× peak price and lower quality. Substitute with garden roses or ranunculus.
Ignoring regional variance. UK peak May-July for peonies; US May-June; Mediterranean earlier. Local sourcing matters.
All-season "same look". Wedding palette should reflect month. Winter reds against summer blush both work; a winter wedding in summer palette reads off.
Assuming supermarket has same seasonal availability. Supermarkets lag wholesale by weeks. Check with florist for current seasonal options.
Using the seasonality calendar tool
For interactive month-by-month exploration: Seasonality calendar — filter by month and region, see all flowers available.
FAQ
What flowers are in season right now?
It depends on the month. January: tulips (forced), anemones, hyacinth. April-May: ranunculus, peonies begin, tulips peak. July-August: hydrangea, sunflowers, dahlias begin. September- November: dahlias, chrysanthemums, roses in autumn colours.
What flowers are available year-round?
Standard roses, chrysanthemums, alstroemeria, orchids (phalaenopsis), lilies, and lisianthus. Quality remains consistent; off-season pricing 20-40% higher than peak.
When are peonies in season?
Northern Hemisphere: May and June with peak color and freshness. Southern Hemisphere: October and November. Off-season peonies at 3-4× peak price.
What flowers are cheapest by month?
Peak-season flowers are always cheapest: tulips (March-May), peonies (May-June), hydrangea (July-August), dahlias (September-October), chrysanthemums (October-November), poinsettia (December).
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