Know your flowers
Some flowers grow in the fields of Punjab and Sindh and reach our Teen Hatti shop fresh every morning. Others come from greenhouses or from abroad. Here is a short guide to what we use, when it is in season, and what each flower is best for.
Damask rose · دیسی گلاب
The fragrant pink-red rose of Pakistan, grown in large fields around Pattoki and across Punjab. Its soft petals are what you see in haar, gajray, kangan and the petal showers at weddings and nikkah. It is also used for gulab jal (rose water) and gulkand. The blooms are small and fade quickly once picked, so florists buy them fresh almost every day.
Season: All year, best in spring
Order with Desi Gulab
Arabian jasmine · موتیا
Jasmine is Pakistan's national flower, and motia is the kind you find in every phool market. The small white buds have a strong, sweet scent and are strung by hand into gajray, kangan, sehra and bridal jewellery. Motia is a summer flower, so it is plentiful and cheaper in the warm months and harder to find in winter. The buds open in the evening, when the fragrance is strongest.
Season: Summer, about April to September
Order with Motia
Marigold · گیندا
Bright orange and yellow flowers grown widely across Pakistan. Genda is hardy, long lasting and affordable, which makes it the base of mehndi and mayun decor, haar for guests and strings for stages and doorways. It holds its colour well even in Karachi's heat, and it is often mixed with red rose petals or white motia for a striking contrast.
Season: Most of the year
Order with Genda
Chrysanthemum · گلِ داؤدی
A winter favourite in Pakistan, famous for the chrysanthemum shows held every autumn in Lahore and Karachi. The large blooms come in white, yellow, purple and bronze. White daudi is used in haar and bouquets because it is full, light and lasts well. Florists also tint the white flowers blue or pink to create colourful arrangements, like the blue touches in this bouquet.
Season: Autumn and winter
Order with Gul-e-Daudi
Sword lily
Tall spikes with flowers that open one by one up the stem, in white, pink, red, orange and peach. Gladiolus is grown in Punjab and reaches Karachi in good supply in the cooler months. Florists use it to give height to bouquets and flower stands, and it is a classic choice for welcome and office arrangements. Cut stems last about a week.
Season: Winter and spring
Order with Gladiolus
Tuberose · گلِ شب بو
Long white spikes with a rich, heady scent that can fill a whole room. The name means fragrance of the night, because the scent grows stronger after sunset. Gul-e-shabbo is grown in Punjab and Sindh and is used in stage decor, bridal car decoration, sehra and nikkah bouquets. The stems last about a week if the water is changed every day or two.
Season: Summer and autumn
Order with Gul-e-Shabbo
Suraj mukhi · سورج مکھی
Pakistan grows sunflower widely as an oil crop, and smaller ornamental varieties are now a bouquet favourite. The bright yellow head with its dark centre stands for warmth and happiness, which makes it a good pick for birthdays, get-well wishes and graduations. Sunflowers drink a lot of water, so keep the vase topped up and they will stay bright for several days.
Season: Spring and summer
Order with Sunflower
Dutch or hybrid rose
Roses with long stems and large, firm heads in red, pink, white, peach and yellow. These are the roses used in premium bouquets and rose boxes. Many are now grown in greenhouses in Punjab, and special colours come from abroad when local supply runs short, for example around Valentine's Day. They last about a week in water and have a lighter scent than desi gulab.
Season: All year
Order with Long-Stem Rose
Spray chrysanthemum
Small daisy-like chrysanthemums that carry many flower heads on one stem, in lime green, yellow, white and purple. They fill a bouquet with colour at a low cost and can stay fresh for up to two weeks. Some varieties are grown locally in the cool months, while others are imported to keep the supply steady through the year.
Season: All year
Order with Button Daudi
Gerbera daisy
Large, round, daisy-shaped flowers in bold red, orange, yellow, pink and white. Gerbera looks bright and cheerful, so it suits birthdays and congratulations. Part of the supply is grown in greenhouses in Pakistan and part is imported. The stems are soft, so florists often support them with wire, and the flowers last around a week in clean water.
Season: All year
Order with Gerbera
Baby's breath
Clouds of tiny white flowers used as the soft filler around roses in almost every modern bouquet. Much of the gypsophila sold in Pakistan is imported, so its price can rise around Valentine's Day and the wedding season. It keeps its shape for a long time and even dries well, and it can be tinted blue, pink or other colours for themed arrangements.
Season: All year
Order with Gypsophila
Carnation · کارنیشن
Frilly-edged flowers in pink, red, white and two-tone shades, known for lasting a long time after cutting, often close to two weeks. Carnations are a budget-friendly way to add volume and colour to a bouquet or table centrepiece. In Pakistan they are partly grown locally in the cooler months and partly imported, so you can find them for most of the year.
Season: Winter and spring
Order with CarnationNot sure which flowers to choose?
Tell us the occasion and budget, and we will suggest what is fresh today.