CFD Floral Materials & Tools 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which floral foam brand is most widely recognized in the professional floral industry for fresh flower arrangements?
- Styrofoam
- Oasis (Correct answer)
- Polystyrene
- Rockwool
Correct answer: Oasis
Oasis floral foam is the industry-standard wet foam used to hold fresh flowers in water-retaining arrangements.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a floral frog (kenzan)?
- To hold ribbon in place
- To anchor flower stems at the base of a container (Correct answer)
- To straighten bent stems
- To measure water depth
Correct answer: To anchor flower stems at the base of a container
A floral frog or kenzan is a pin holder placed at the base of a container to anchor and position flower stems.
Question 3: Which gauge of floral wire is the thinnest and most flexible, typically used for delicate corsage work?
- 16-gauge
- 20-gauge
- 26-gauge
- 30-gauge (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 30-gauge
Higher gauge numbers indicate thinner wire; 30-gauge is among the finest wires, ideal for wrapping delicate corsage stems.
Question 4: What does 'hardening off' a stem mean in floral design?
- Coating a stem with wax for preservation
- Conditioning flowers in water after cutting to restore turgidity (Correct answer)
- Freezing stems to extend vase life
- Removing all foliage before arranging
Correct answer: Conditioning flowers in water after cutting to restore turgidity
Hardening off involves placing freshly cut stems in water to allow them to fully hydrate and firm up before use in arrangements.
Question 5: Which of the following foliages is toxic and should be handled with care in floral arrangements?
- Lemon leaf (Salal)
- Lily of the valley (Correct answer)
- Leather leaf fern
- Myrtle
Correct answer: Lily of the valley
Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) is highly toxic and designers must wash hands thoroughly after handling it.
Question 6: What is the correct way to clean floral scissors to prevent disease transmission between flowers?
- Wipe with a dry cloth only
- Rinse with plain water after each use
- Disinfect with a 10% bleach solution or rubbing alcohol (Correct answer)
- Soak overnight in floral preservative
Correct answer: Disinfect with a 10% bleach solution or rubbing alcohol
Tools should be disinfected with a diluted bleach solution or alcohol to kill pathogens that can spread from infected to healthy plant material.
Question 7: Which tool is specifically designed to remove thorns from rose stems without crushing the stem's vascular tissue?
- Floral knife
- Thorn stripper (Correct answer)
- Stem splitter
- Wire cutter
Correct answer: Thorn stripper
A thorn stripper removes thorns cleanly while minimizing damage to the stem, which helps maintain water uptake.
CFD Floral Materials & Tools 2
Which floral foam brand is most widely recognized in the professional floral industry for fresh flower arrangements?