What are you giving your special someone this Valentine’s Day? If you answered flowers or roses, you’re not alone! Today is the busiest holiday of the year for florists around the world.
An estimated 250 million roses are produced for Valentine’s Day every year! According to data collected by an IPSOS Floral Tracking Study, 28% of American adults bought flowers or plants to celebrate the day of love last year.
Red roses are the top sellers on this day, but white, pink, peach, and purple roses are also big sellers. Bouquets of carnations, mixed flowers, and houseplants are popular orders on February 14th as well.
Why Flowers on Valentine’s Day?
Along with chocolates and cards, flowers are a go-to gift idea on Valentine’s Day because they’ve long symbolized fertility, marriage, and romance.
Rose garland was the jewelry item of choice at Ancient Roman wedding ceremonies.
But the actual act of giving Valentine’s bouquets is traced back to King Charles ll, King of Sweden (1809).
While visiting Persia, King Charles learned about a ‘secret language’ expressed by certain varieties and colors of flowers. By giving someone a flower, you could tell them how you feel without saying any words at all.
For example, red roses expressed deep love. He shared this secret language with Sweden upon his return, and the rest is history.
Rose Color Meanings
So what feelings do you want to express? Take a look at the guide below before purchasing your next bouquet:
- Red: deep love and passion
- Pink: admiration and happiness
- Yellow: joy and friendship
- White: innocence, purity, and new beginnings
- Orange: desire and excitement
- Lavender: love at first sight
- Peach: appreciation and gratitude
- Cream: charm and thoughtfulness
Eco-Friendly Bouquets
Want to make your gift of flowers even more meaningful? Consider buying cut stems from sustainable florists!
Many producers are actively trying to help the planet by cutting down on flower miles and participating in the “grown, not flown” movement.
Happy Valentine’s Day!