"Flower Power Mobile" Kicks off Stress Awareness Month at a Time When America Needs It Most

Tour celebrates 50th anniversary of 'flower power' and shares the stress-relieving benefits of blooms

News provided by

Apr 02, 2019, 22:15 ET

HAIGHT-ASHBURY, SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Taxes. Finances. Work overload. Health concerns. Americans are stressed, and there is no better time to bring flower power back to the people. Fifty years after the birth of the flower power movement, the Society of American Florists, the nation's association of flower growers, florists, wholesalers, and suppliers is hitting the road in a vintage 'Flower Power' mobile. At each tour stop, unsuspecting passersby are being treated to bouquets to brighten their days and let them experience the research-proven stress-relieving benefits of flowers.

Flowers Relieve Stress: To celebrate Stress Awareness Month, people are surprised with bouquets, as research proves flowers significantly reduce stress. Volunteers from the Society of American Florists kicked-off the feel-good effort at Haight-Ashbury, the iconic center of the flower power movement.

The florists chose April, Stress Awareness Month, to launch the tour, as a recent survey by Wakefield Research shows that 68 percent of Americans experience stress weekly, and 32 percent report feeling stressed daily. Fittingly, the tour kicks off at flower power's iconic center, Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco. After a day of stress-relief in and around San Francisco, the bus is heading to Portland and Seattle to share the joy.

The stress-alleviating power of flowers was recently proven by researchers at the University of North Florida. According to their Department of Public Health, living with flowers significantly reduces stress. This is the latest example of the science behind flowers and well-being, as previously Harvard has uncovered how flowers increase feelings of kindness and compassion, and Rutgers University researchers proved that flowers make people truly happy.

"Flower power is absolutely real and provides a moment of calm we all need in the fast-paced world we live in," said Jennifer Sparks of the Society of American Florists. "What was intuitive in the '60s has been proven by contemporary research. We're returning to where it all began to pay homage to the past and boost the moods of those who receive flowers, and hopefully everyone who sees us driving by."

SOURCE Society of American Florists