How to Become a Floral Designer in California

Floral designers are professionals at arranging plants and flowers for decorative displays.

They arrange them in a way that is creative and attractive to the eyes.

A career in floral design can be an excellent choice if you enjoy exploring your creative side and working with plants, people, and flowers.

If you want to become a floral designer in California, here’s what you should know.

Steps to Become a Floral Designer in California

Follow these steps to become a floral designer in California.

Step 1:  Earn your high school diploma or GED

A high school diploma is a minimum qualification you need to become a floral designer.

A GED allows you to get entry-level jobs at floral shops.

However, you should take art and business classes to boost your creativity, especially if you want to run your shop.

Step 2: Learn the basics of floral design

This entails learning basic plant care techniques and floral design methods commonly used by professional florists.

You can gain these essential skills by working with a mentor, taking floral classes, volunteering at a local flower shop, or interning at a floral design agency.

Some of the basic techniques you can expect to learn include:

• Plant health
• Flower prepping
• Color coordination,
• Flower arrangement
• Gift wrapping and ribbon tying
• Flower gardening

Step 3:  Take a floral design-related program

Having floral design skills is not always enough.

It’s highly recommended to get a formal education in the field.

There are plenty of institutions in California offering floral design courses.

You can take a short course that takes a few weeks or a certificate that takes about six months.

Classes offer in-depth knowledge about plants and flowers, their types, how to care for them, and how to arrange them.

Longer courses are more comprehensive as they teach about the business aspects of floral design.

Step 4: Get certified

In California, you can earn a national certification as well as a statewide certification.

All you need is to register.

The California certification program that the California State Floral Association offers is available once a year.

The cost of this program is $350, inclusive of all the testing materials required.

The test includes a hands-on design and a written exam.

The written exam mainly focuses on plant and flower care, identification, handling, and floral design.

The hands-on exam requires the creation of different pieces to be judged.

Your results will be emailed to you in about three weeks.

You will receive your California Certified Florist (CCF) certificate if you pass.

To become a certified floral designer (CFD), you must earn statewide certification through the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD).

You must pass the professional floral design Evaluation (PEDE).

The enrolment for this exam is $150.

Once approved, you must renew this certification once every three years.

Step 5: Build Your Portfolio

As you gain more experience, displaying your work in your portfolio is essential.

Clients and employers will check your previous work to determine if you’re an excellent fit for their projects.

Remember to practice to gain better skills and develop unique styles and techniques.

Step 6: Work as a floral designer in California

Floral designers can find employment in multiple workplaces, such as flower shops and floral departments in supermarkets, greenhouses, and gardens.

It’s also important to know that California has the highest employment rate of floral designers in all states.

Licensing Requirements to Become a Floral Designer in California

Floral designers and florists don’t need any specific credentials to operate.

However, you need a business license if you own a floral business in California.

To buy wholesale floral design items, you need a seller’s permit.

Floral Designer Programs and Classes Available in California

California offers several classes and training programs to help prepare you for success as a floral designer.

Here are a few to consider:

Merritt College, Landscape Horticulture Department

The Landscape Horticulture department at Merritt College offers fee-based classes in floral design.

You don’t need to be enrolled as a student at the college to take these classes.

The classes include an introduction to floral design, Creative Celebrations, Creative Centerpieces, wedding bouquets, and much more.

For more information, call 510-436-2418 or visit their website for more information.

Phil Rulloda Southern California School of Floral Design

Students at the Phil Rulloda Southern California School of floral design receive a certificate for every program they complete.

The school provides various workshops and programs.

These programs include Floral Design, Advanced Floral Design, Advanced Wedding Floral Design, and Special Events Floral Design Course takes days up to two weeks, and the tuition fee varies depending on each course.

Visit their website or call (714) 776-7445 for additional information.

Penn Foster Career School

If you want to learn online, the Penn Foster Career School has a floral design career diploma course that allows you to learn at your own pace.

The fee is customized based on your learning pattern and duration.

The course teaches basics in floral design, plant care, and much more.

Contact the school for more information at 1-800-275-4410 or visit their website for more details.

Floral Designer Schools in California – Summary Table

Floral Designer Salary in California

California’s average floral designer salary is $60,771, but the range typically falls between $49,334 and $73,444.

The salary range may vary significantly based on your city and other important factors, including certifications, education, years of experience, and other additional floral designer skills.

Regional Salary in California

Floral Design by State