This post is part of a series chronicling news coverage of rising fuel prices in the United States. See more here.
Omaha station reports on higher fuel costs driving up flower prices for Mother's Day: “If you're buying flowers for mom this Sunday, that bouquet cost more than it did last year, and the price hikes aren't done yet”
Reporter Brenna Kiefner: “The flowers are still beautiful, but from the farm to your front door, almost nothing about getting them here is getting cheaper”
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From a May 4, 2026, video posted to the YouTube page of First Alert 6
BRIAN MASTRE (ANCHOR): Well, with Mother's Day coming up this weekend, first alert if you're shopping for flowers, you should be prepared to pay more.
ERIN SULLIVAN (ANCHOR): Fuel prices, labor and shipping costs, all squeezing local florists. First Alert 6's Brenna Keefner spoke with one Omaha shop about what's driving it and what it means for your wallet.
BRENNA KIEFNER (REPORTER): If you're buying flowers for mom this Sunday, that bouquet cost more than it did last year, and the price hikes aren't done yet. The process starts thousands of miles away. Most cut flowers sold in the US come from Ecuador, and higher fuel costs mean higher shipping fees every step of the way.
ERIC JANOUSEK (FLORIST): The gas has definitely gone up. You know, we do a lot of delivering, probably driving, you know, 200 miles a day. So, you know, delivering the flowers is definitely more expensive. We do have more delivery fees coming from our wholesalers.
KIEFNER: Eric has held the line on prices, absorbing the hit so the customers don't feel it. But he's warning that won't last past Sunday.
JANOUSEK: That's what I'd say probably adds a good 5-10%. So they don't really notice too much, but probably after Mother's Day we'll change some of the prices. We've changed some prices here and there maybe five, ten dollars per arrangement.
KIEFNER: Right now, a bouquet at his shop starts at around $75. A 5-to-10% increase means you could pay nearly $8 more for the same flowers that you bought last year.
DR. ERNIE GOSS (CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY): Fuel prices, they're really fundamental. They feed into the overall consumer prices and put a pinch on budgets, whether that's a business budget or individual family budget.
KIEFNER: But his store has been family owned since the 1960s, and that longevity is actually working in your favor. Owning the building and keeping it in the family means they can hold costs down where the others can't.
JANOUSEK: You know, a lot of other stuff that other places probably have to pay for, you know, we've been a family business and, you know, a lot of family members, so we can keep our costs down, so you get a better value at the florist here.
KIEFNER: The flowers are still beautiful, but from the farm to your front door, almost nothing about getting them here is getting cheaper. Eric's advice, order locally and order early.