The optimum conditions, such as the ratio of fuel gas to combustion-supporting gas, burnerheight, lamp current and band pass, for the determination of trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, cobalt and potassium in flowers were studied by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). The experimental results showed that Beer's law was obeyed in the range of 0-50 microg x mL(-1) for Ca, 0-80 microg x mL(-1) for Mg, 0-4 microg x mL(-1) for Co, and 0-120 microg x mL(-1) for K. The correlation coefficients were in the range of 0.9975-0.9995 under the seleced conditions. Applied to the determination in rose & Chinese rose the method proved to be simple, rapid and selective with satisfactory recovery of 97%-104% and relative standard devition of 1.2%-2.3%.