18-05-2025
Flower Day returns to Detroit Sunday as thousands fill the Eastern Market
Spring was in bloom Sunday as shoppers flocked to Detroit's Eastern Market to get the best deals on hibiscus, petunias, tulips and daisies as the annual Flower Day returned to the Motor City.
The market, filled with the aroma of food from dozens of vendors, drew thousands of customers as they pulled wagons filled with children, flowers and plants to find the next best deal.
"Our most popular flower today has been the geranium (Crane's-bill), it seems like that has been going the fastest," said Missy Christiansen of DC Farms & Greenhouse, a flower shop based out of Columbus Township in St. Clair County.
As shoppers lined up to look at the bright colorful flowers, elephant ears, ice-cold lemonade, hot dogs and french fries, among other food items, were available for purchase from vendors. Temperatures stayed around 65 degrees for most of the day.
"It's a lot of fun being down here. We have about 13 stalls, so we're all throughout the market", said Christiansen.
Additionally, vendors selling jewelry, clothing, purses, lanyards and more filled the crosswalk outside of each shed.
For metro Detroiters who missed Flower Day, there are still two Flower Tuesdays left this month, May 20th and 27th.
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Species of flowers in Michigan counties range from 1300-1700, according to the University of Michigan. Variables, including climate and habitat diversity, influence the the type of flower that grows in individual counties.
Michigan's native wildflowers include ironweed, several varieties of aster, wild columbine, swamp milkweed and marsh blazing star, Visit Detroit says.
The sweet crabapple was designated as the state flower in 1987, according to the state's website. Sponsors said the flower, native to Michigan was 'one of the most fragrant and beautiful flowered species of apple.'
A member of the rose family, the crabapple tree ranges from 15 to 30 feet tall when fully grown. Winter buds have reddish scales and when fully bloomed in the summer, the tree produces smooth light pink and white petals.
The tree also produces apples that turn yellow when ripened, according to the Glen Arboretum.
Iris lacustris, also known as the dwarf lake iris was designated as the state flower in 1998, the state website says. Also native to Michigan, the endangered flower grows alongside the northern shores of Lake Michigan and Huron.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, botanist Thomas Nuttall discovered Dwarf lake iris in 1810 on Mackinac Island. Most dwarf lake iris flowers are blue, but some vary from pale to dark lilac shades.
Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Flower Day in Detroit fills the Eastern Market with colors, carnival food smell.
