Roses, lilies and mixed cut flowers stored in a florist display fridge

October 10, 2026

Flower Fridge Temperature and Humidity: How to Store Cut Flowers

Temperature and humidity decide how long your flowers last. Get them right and stock that arrived on Monday still looks good on Saturday. Get them wrong and buds blow open, petals dry out or stems go limp. This guide covers the settings to aim for, a chart for popular flowers, how to keep the fridge steady, and how to prepare and load flowers so they last.

The short answer

Temperature: most cut flowers keep best at about 1 to 4°C. In a glass door display fridge that's opened all day, a setting of around 2 to 4°C is a good starting point.
Humidity: aim for about 80 to 95% relative humidity, so petals and leaves don't dry out.
Tropical flowers such as anthuriums, heliconias, gingers and many tropical orchids are damaged by the cold. Keep them at about 10 to 15°C, not in the main flower fridge.

Why cold slows flowers down

Cut flowers keep breathing and using up their stored sugars after they're picked. Warmth speeds that up, so buds open faster, petals fade sooner and stems lose water more quickly. Keeping flowers cold slows all of it down, which is why a flower kept at 2°C can last days longer than the same flower on a warm counter.

Too cold is a problem too. Water in the stems and petals can freeze, especially in flowers sitting right in front of the fan. Tropical varieties suffer chilling injury well above freezing, with dark, water-soaked or bruised-looking patches.

Temperature chart for popular flowers

Flower	Keeps best at	Notes
Roses	1 to 3°C	Keep them cold and well hydrated.
Carnations	1 to 2°C	Sensitive to ethylene gas, so keep them away from fruit and dying flowers.
Tulips	1 to 2°C	Keep upright, because they bend toward light.
Lilies	2 to 4°C	Remove pollen as flowers open, to avoid staining.
Gerberas	2 to 4°C	Use shallow, clean water. Stems are prone to bacteria.
Tropicals (anthuriums, heliconias, gingers, many orchids)	10 to 15°C	Keep out of the main flower fridge.

Use this as a general guide. Varieties differ, so ask your grower or wholesaler if you're unsure about a particular flower. The digital controllers on our flower fridges are fully adjustable, so you can set the temperature to suit what you stock. A fridge can only run at one temperature at a time, though, so set it for the flowers you stock most and keep tropicals somewhere warmer. A second single door fridge set warmer works well for this.

Humidity: keeping flowers from drying out

Flowers lose water through their petals and leaves, and dry air speeds that up. Aim for 80 to 95% relative humidity. To help keep it there:

Keep doors closed. Every opening lets in drier shop air.
Keep flowers out of the direct airflow from the fan. Fast-moving cold air dries petals and can freeze stems.
Don't let wet debris build up. High humidity is good for flowers, but rotting leaves and dirty water in warm corners grow mould. Keep the fridge clean (see our flower fridge care guide).
Use a hygrometer if you want to know the actual humidity. A cheap digital thermometer with a humidity reading does both jobs.

Keeping the temperature steady

Steady matters as much as cold. A fridge that swings between 2°C and 9°C through the day is hard on flowers. Common reasons for temperature swings:

Doors opened often or left open during a busy period or while restocking.
Worn or dirty door seals letting cold air out.
An overpacked fridge or buckets blocking the air vents, leaving warm pockets.
A hot shop, direct sun on the cabinet, or a fridge squeezed in with no room for air around it.
A dirty condenser, which makes the fridge struggle to get rid of heat.

A short rise in temperature during the automatic defrost cycle is normal. A fridge that stays warm isn't.

Check it with your own thermometer

The number on the controller shows what the fridge's sensor reads, which isn't always what the flowers are sitting in. Put a separate fridge thermometer on a middle shelf and check it each morning. Write the reading down, so you'll spot a fridge that's slowly getting warmer. If it stays warmer than the setting after you've checked the doors, seals and vents, have a licensed refrigeration technician look at it.

Prepare flowers before they go in

Start with clean buckets. Bacteria in dirty buckets block stems so they can't drink. Wash and sanitise buckets between uses.
Recut the stems on an angle with a sharp, clean blade.
Strip leaves below the waterline, as they rot in the water.
Use fresh water and flower food at the strength on the packet, and change the water every couple of days.
Let them drink, then move them into the fridge.

Loading the fridge

Tall at the back, short at the front. Customers can see everything and air can flow over the top.
Leave gaps. Air needs to move between buckets for even cooling. Crammed fridges have warm spots.
Don't block the vents or stack stock against the back wall.
Group by type. It's easier to manage stock and spot flowers that are going over.
First in, first out. Put older stock where it sells first, and check every day for flowers past their best.
Keep fruit, vegetables and dying flowers out. They give off ethylene gas, which makes many flowers wilt and drop petals early.

Moving flowers to deliveries and events

Flowers lose condition fastest between the fridge and the customer. Keep trips short and keep the vehicle cool, with the air-con on and flowers out of direct sun. Secure buckets so they can't tip, and get stems back into water as soon as you arrive. For big events, keep event flowers in the fridge until you load the vehicle, rather than staging them on the shop floor.

FAQs

What temperature should a flower fridge be?

About 2 to 4°C suits most cut flowers in a display fridge, with tropical flowers kept separately at 10 to 15°C.

Can flowers freeze in a flower fridge?

Yes, if the fridge is set too low or flowers sit right in front of the fan. Frozen petals look glassy and dark, and collapse once they warm up. Move stock away from the fan outlet and nudge the setting up a degree.

Why do my flowers open too fast?

Usually the fridge is running too warm, or the flowers spent too long on a warm shop floor. Check the actual temperature with a thermometer.

Can I store flowers in an ordinary fridge?

For a short time, yes, if it holds a steady temperature and the flowers stay clear of the fan. For everyday stock, a flower display fridge is set up for buckets, display and frequent door openings. Our flower fridge buying guide explains the differences.