About Flower Frogs

Flower frogs are floral accessories that hold cut flower stems. These flower holders are made from materials such as brass, ceramic or glass. The floral frogs have holes or pins to hold flower or greenery stems at the desired display angle. Flower frogs are sometimes shaped like frogs but often are simple bowls with stem holes. Frogs sometimes are the flower container and sometimes are an accessory that fits inside the container. Made in the past century in hundreds of designs, flower frogs are available in functional and decorative forms.

Pin Frogs

A pin frog is a flower frog that looks like a pincushion. The flower stems are stuck on the pins to keep the flowers upright. A pin frog may sit deep in a vase or flat in a shallow container. Pin frogs are popular for Ikebana, a Japanese form of flower arranging.

Sculpture Frogs

Floral sculpture frogs usually are weighted glass, ceramic or metal with holes. Many look like paperweights with holes in them. Others are shaped like amphibious frogs with holes in their backs. Some are in the form of animals, people or flowers with holes made to hold flowers. They may be short or tall and allow the stems to be individually positioned by the florist or flower arranger.

Insert Frogs

Many vases have removable inserts that make them into frogs. The inserts are usually a glass or plastic lid-type insert with numerous holes for stems to go down into the vase water. Without the insert, the vase is a simple flower holder. With the insert in place, it holds the stems for specific arrangements.

Ersatz Frogs

A vase is often partly filled with marbles, rocks or beach glass. Though not a true flower frog, the vase with objects acts as a floral frog. Flower and greenery stems are stuck down through the objects and held in position by the glass gems or other weights. Another option is taping florist or masking tape in a grid pattern over the mouth of a vase. The grid sections hold flowers apart.

Floral clay

Floral clay is sticky flexible clay that holds a pin holder or frog in the bottom of a container. The floral clay keeps the holder secure so that it does not shift with the weight of flowers. Floral clay also holds floral foam in place. The foam is porous so that flower and greenery stems stuck into it will be held in place.

Frog Collectors

Flower frog collecting is a popular hobby. Collectors may specialize in frogs from a famous glass manufacturer such as Cambridge or frogs in specific shapes. Other collectors are drawn to frogs owned by famous people. Jacqueline Onassis used functional metal frogs, round grate-type metal grids that hold flowers in a vase. Her plain metal frogs and containers sold for over $4,000 at a 1996 auction.

Resources

• Cambridge Collectors: Flower Frogs
• Flower Frog Gazette