Tikrit florists switched to Iranian flowers when the Kenyan supply stopped

TIKRIT — Flower shops in Tikrit have re-sourced their stock from Iran after Kenyan flowers, which arrive by air, disappeared from the market for two to three months during the disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Dania, who opened Just Flower on Zayouna Street in 2019, said her flowers once came exclusively from the Netherlands and later Kenya. She now relies mainly on Iranian flowers, which arrive overland by truck and have stayed available, followed by Kenyan stock when it flies in. Malak Qusay, who runs Mico Gifts on Zuhur Street, buys mostly through Baghdad, which she said delivers faster and in better condition than Erbil.

Both said university students are their largest group of customers, particularly around graduation, alongside engaged and married couples buying for weddings, birthdays and Valentine’s Day. Dania said most of her customers have been coming since the shop opened. Qusay began in gifts in 2019 and added natural and artificial flowers two years ago.

Keeping the stock alive through an Iraqi summer is its own problem. Dania said flowers need moderately cool water changed daily, a little chlorine and lemon in the vase, and to be kept away from fans and direct sunlight, and that heat shortens their life considerably compared with winter. Qusay’s shop uses dedicated refrigerators to hold flowers until they reach customers. Temperatures in Iraq have reached 50°C this month.