Being a Certified Florist provides many benefits to you and your shop.

  • Become your area’s most respected florist.
  • Learn the best current practices from recognized floral professionals.
  • Great branding / advertising tool for your flower shop.
  • Freshen up on design skills.
  • Learn the latest design trends.
  • Use the accreditation’s logo and advertising tools to build credibility with your community.
  • Great networking opportunity.

It is nationally recognized and is a pathway to becoming a member of AIFD. It is a great way to achieve a personal goal or a shop goal. In any industry, education is the way to advance in your career. Get certified and stay certified. A Certified Florist knows the best ways to care for flowers and how to get more quality from hydration, correct temperatures, and use of preservatives.

Every Certified Florist must pass a rigorous exam that thoroughly tests their knowledge of flower and plant care, as well as floral design. Continuing education is required of all Certified Florists assuring they will be proficient in design and aware of new floral trends and innovative techniques.

The Certified Florist program upholds the highest standards of ethics and professional practice in our industry and is endorsed by the National Alliance of Floral Associations (NAFA).

So if you have a manual dust it off and set a goal to become CF this year. If you need to purchase a manual or find out more information click here.

Upcoming 2016 CF testing dates are:

  • June 12th, 2016- MSU Plant & Soil Science Building, E. Lansing, MI  48824
  • October 9th, 2016 – MSU Plant & Soil Science Building, E. Lansing, MI  48824

Make this year your year to become a Certified Florist!

By Cindy Ching, AIFD, CF
Reprinted from Issue 1, 2014 of The Professional Florist