The story of spray roses in the United States is still being written. While standard roses continue to dominate retail shelves and floral holidays, a growing number of growers, breeders, florists, and consumers are discovering the unique value that spray roses bring to floral design. Among the companies helping to shape that future is April & Ashley, a family-owned rose business that combines decades of horticultural expertise with a commitment to innovation, quality, and education.
Working across fresh-cut roses and potted rose bushes, April & Ashley has steadily expanded its investment in spray roses, viewing the category not as a niche product but as one of the most exciting growth opportunities in modern floriculture. Through partnerships with leading breeders, extensive trialing programs, and a clear vision for the future, the company is helping introduce a new generation of spray roses to the North American market.
A Family Business Built Around Exceptional Roses
At its core, April & Ashley is driven by a simple philosophy: exceptional roses are created through expertise, patience, and care. The company offers both fresh-cut rose bouquets and potted rose bushes, with a portfolio of more than 200 varieties distributed throughout the United States and Canada. Their fresh-cut roses are produced through a partnership with Milagro Farms in Suesca, Colombia. At the same time, their rose bush programs are cultivated through their California operations following the acquisition of Eufloria Flowers.
What distinguishes the company is its focus on creating a connection between the customer and the product. Every variety is carefully selected, trialed, and managed long before it reaches a home, garden, or floral arrangement. This approach has helped establish April & Ashley as a company that blends premium genetics with a welcoming, family-oriented identity. Luxury, in their view, should feel approachable, knowledgeable, and rooted in genuine craftsmanship.
Why Spray Roses Became a Strategic Priority
For April & Ashley, the acquisition of Eufloria Flowers represented far more than an expansion of operations. It created a platform for long-term innovation, particularly within the spray rose category. The California-based growing operation provides ideal conditions for evaluating and introducing new potted rose varieties while strengthening the company's ability to invest in spray rose development.
The move reflects a broader belief that spray roses are entering a significant growth phase. With consumer preferences increasingly shifting toward natural, textured, and garden-inspired aesthetics, spray roses align perfectly with contemporary floral trends. The acquisition gave April & Ashley the infrastructure needed to accelerate variety development and position itself at the forefront of this evolving market.
The Untapped Potential of Spray Roses in the United States
Compared to Europe, the spray rose market in the United States remains relatively young. Standard roses continue to dominate sales, particularly during major gifting occasions such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Yet over the past decade, spray roses have steadily gained attention among floral designers and consumers seeking greater texture, movement, and character in their arrangements.
Florists are especially drawn to the category because multiple flowers on a single stem create fullness and visual impact without requiring as many supporting materials. The result is a softer, more natural look that complements the growing popularity of cottage-inspired and garden-style floral designs. According to April & Ashley, the greatest opportunity now lies in education. Many consumers are only beginning to understand the value of spray roses, creating substantial room for future growth across retail, event, and everyday floral markets.
Working With Interplant to Expand the Category
A key part of April & Ashley's strategy is its close collaboration with Interplant, one of the world's leading spray rose breeders. The company currently grows nearly 100 Interplant varieties in California while simultaneously evaluating an extensive range of new genetics through trial programs in Arizona.
The partnership allows April & Ashley to continuously assess new opportunities in color, flower form, fragrance, plant performance, and disease resistance. Beyond the U.S. operations, the company is also working closely with Milagro Farms in Colombia to evaluate additional spray rose varieties for introduction into the American market. This dual approach enables them to assess genetics both as potted rose bushes and as premium cut flower products, accelerating the introduction of new varieties to consumers and florists alike.
The Varieties Shaping Consumer Demand
Several varieties have emerged as standout performers within the April & Ashley portfolio. The Bombastic series remains one of the most recognized names in spray roses, valued for its flower shape, fullness, and exceptional vase life. Blushing Parasol continues to attract attention with its soft blush coloration, fragrance, and elegant form, while Bridal Flow remains a favorite among wedding designers for its creamy white color and timeless appeal.
Other successful varieties include Julianne, known for its romantic peach tones, Forever Parasol with its distinctive mauve-pink coloration, and White Lady, a reliable choice for weddings and event work. Together, these varieties showcase the diversity that today's market is increasingly seeking, offering multiple flowers per stem, extended vase life, and a broad palette of colors and textures that complement modern floral design trends.
Among all the varieties currently being grown and trialed, one stands above the rest for the April & Ashley team: Spray Rose Nadia Duran. Named after the celebrated event designer, this variety combines a striking lavender coloration with an impressive petal count and exceptional structure. Its garden-style character, coupled with strong performance throughout the supply chain, reflects the direction in which many spray rose enthusiasts believe the category is heading.
From Specialty Product to Floral Essential
For years, spray roses were often viewed as supporting elements within floral arrangements. Today, that perception is changing. Consumer preferences are moving toward natural-looking designs filled with texture, movement, and character, and spray roses are uniquely positioned to meet those expectations.
April & Ashley sees spray roses evolving from a specialty product into an everyday floral essential. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, spray roses also offer practical advantages. Multiple flowers on a single stem create greater visual impact while reducing the number of stems required to achieve fullness in an arrangement. Combined with ongoing breeding innovations that continue to expand color options, flower forms, fragrance, and vase life, the category is becoming increasingly attractive to both florists and consumers.
The company believes the U.S. market still has significant room for growth. While Europe has embraced spray roses for many years, North America is only beginning to unlock the category's full potential. As awareness continues to grow, spray roses are likely to become a standard offering across retail, event, and everyday floral channels.
Challenges That Still Need to Be Addressed
Despite the growing momentum, spray roses present unique technical and commercial challenges. From a production perspective, harvest timing remains critical. Each variety requires its own optimal cut stage to ensure proper opening and vase life, making training and post-harvest handling especially important. Maintaining consistency across multiple flowers on a single stem adds another layer of complexity.
Commercially, the biggest challenge remains consumer perception. Many buyers still associate value with flower size alone, viewing spray roses as smaller alternatives rather than recognizing the advantage of multiple flowers per stem. Continued education across retail, wholesale, and consumer channels will be essential in helping the category achieve its full potential.
The Power of the World of Spray Roses Initiative
As a member of the World of Spray Roses, April & Ashley values the collective effort being made to elevate the category globally. The initiative has created a platform where growers, breeders, marketers, and designers can work together to increase awareness and demonstrate the versatility of spray roses.
Through farm visits, trade shows, educational campaigns, and creative collaborations, the initiative is helping shift perceptions throughout the floral supply chain. More importantly, it is creating a shared voice for spray roses and reinforcing their position as one of the most exciting and dynamic categories in modern floriculture.
For companies like April & Ashley, that shared momentum is helping accelerate adoption while introducing more consumers to the beauty, performance, and possibilities that spray roses bring to floral design.
All pictures courtesy of @Aprilandashleys.
