Roses might be considered a symbol of love in most culturesbut the flowers can also cost a pretty penny, especially when they arecompared to other plant types.
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FOX Business spoke with three floral experts to get their insight on why roses are an expensive type to buy and how the industry operates behind the scenes.
Supply and demand
A young woman looking at a man who has a rose bouquet behind his back. (iStock).
“Part of the cost of roses can be explained by supply and demand,"said Dan Bailey, the president of WikiLawn, a lawn care pro network and resource. "There will never be a lack of demand for roses, but there often isn't enough supply to keep up. This skyrockets the price, especially in February and during other major holidays where roses are a focus.”
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“Additionally, there's a standard of beauty for roses that other plants aren't held to as rigidly,” he said, offering another reasonwhy roses tend to cost more than other flowers.
Roses are high maintenance
Florists working in a flower shop making rose bouquets.(iStock)
The price of roses tends to be higher because the floral industry is more elaborate than most consumers realize, said Marie Danielle Vil-Young, the founder and creative director at À Votre Service Events, a luxury floral design and special event planning company.
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A majority of flowers used in the U.S. are imported from other parts of the world. The roses that make it stateside mainly come from Latin American countries that are close to the equator, such as Ecuador and Colombia.
“These roses have to make their way to the U.S. via air cargo in many cases, upon arrival, there are customs, taxes, transport and distribution throughout the U.S.,” Vil-Young explained. “Much of the flowers will arrive in Miami, which is a main hub for import-export. The flowers will then travel to different parts of the country via refrigerated trucks.”“This whole process is costly — from breeding to pre-harvest and post-harvest processing that happens at the farm level, travel to the U.S., distribution from wholesalers throughout the U.S. to florists, then to the end-user, the charges only accumulate at each step,” she added. “Once a florist has the flowers, there is a huge labor component that most people are not aware of. There is the upkeep, cleaning and processing of the flowers, cost of cooling, water and electric bills, etc.”
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There are additional costs in maintaining roses, including materials such as ribbons, tape, vases or an oasis. Design labor and potential transportation for arrangements are other fees that may be factored in as well.
The market favors consistency
Rose bouquets are prepared to be exported overseas ahead of Valentine's Day at a farm in Facatativa, Colombia, Feb. 1, 2017. (REUTERS/Jaime Saldarriaga)
"Combine these economic and logistical factors with a holiday that continues to push roses as the ultimate romantic gift, and it's the perfect storm for high prices,” said Derek Gaughan, the owner of lawn resource Prince Gardening.
He added:“Many florists keep the prices of roses marked high year-round to avoid any backlash for increasing prices around Valentine's Day.”
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FAQs
The grower ultimately sets the price for the roses, which is higher due to the dumping of the crops in December. This additional cost is then passed through each market level - from the grower, to the wholesaler, to the florist, and finally to the customer. Another factor impacting the cost of roses is transportation.
What makes roses so expensive? ›
Cultivating Roses Is Hard Work
Flowers are an agricultural product and are highly perishable. They have to be farmed and harvested with expert planning well in advance so that the flowers are ready to be shipped at just the right time.
What is so special about roses? ›
I love roses: Symbolism: Roses also have that beauty, fragrance and softness of petals, juxtaposed with the thorns, and that kind of represents how we feel about love sometimes. Bouquets: Roses come in an infinite variety of colors, several sizes, and several shapes (pointed, cupped) often with many petals.
How much does 1 rose cost? ›
Consumers can expect to pay $4 to $6 per flower, BloomNation found. In New York, the $1.50 wholesale price swells to $2.50. Retail prices rise from $5 to $8 per rose. Expect prices to vary by about 20 percent, depending on supply and quality.
What is the difference between cheap and expensive roses? ›
Additionally, expensive flowers often have a longer vase life and may be considered more aesthetically pleasing, such as having a stronger fragrance or a more vibrant color.
What is the rarest color for roses? ›
Loved for its many colors and popular scent, roses make beautiful cut flowers for any occasion. The rarest color of rose is the Blue Rose, and it is very difficult to find.
What color rose is more expensive? ›
Blue Rose is the rarest color of rose, you can expect the price of the flower to be higher than other colors. Due to the fact that the blue rose is a unique rare color, it is best to contact your florist well in advance when ordering a bouquet of these mysterious flowers. What is the most beautiful rose?
What does each color of rose mean? ›
For example, blue roses symbolise mystery. Yellow roses are ideal to give away to friends and green roses represent strength and fertility. Orange roses are for joy and pink roses are for thanksgiving. White roses are a symbol of innocence, purity and loyalty, also a fitting gift for a fresh start or a farewell.
How long do roses last? ›
Roses can last between 5-7 days in a vase; however, some varieties can last up to 2 weeks with proper care! If your roses look sad or droopy, change the water with the flower food solution and re-cut the stems. They should perk up in 2-3 hours.
Are real roses expensive? ›
It really depends on the type of roses and where you buy them. If you are talking about long stem red roses, they will usually cost about $20-$40 depending on where you get them, and if they have a vase, wrap, etc.
There are a few things that make Trader Joe's flowers really appealing–and one of those things is the wallet-friendly cost. Because the brand purchases flowers in bulk directly from growers, the prices are much lower than what you would find in boutique flower shops and other major grocery stores.
Why are grocery store roses so cheap? ›
Since they are buying these wholesale flowers by the truckload and dispersing them to their hundreds of stores, they are able to get them cheaper.
What is the most luxurious rose? ›
Probably the most popular English Rose and at the same, the most luxurious is the David Austin Juliet Rose. This particular rose variety is well-loved in weddings due to its delicate beauty. It took 10 years for this well-known rose to be developed hence it is considered to be the most expensive rose ever.
Why are roses so expensive compared to other flowers? ›
Roses are high maintenance
The price of roses tends to be higher because the floral industry is more elaborate than most consumers realize, said Marie Danielle Vil-Young, the founder and creative director at À Votre Service Events, a luxury floral design and special event planning company.
How much should a dozen roses cost? ›
FinanceBuzz says it found the above prices based on “the price for a standard order of one dozen long-stem roses from at least three individual florists or flower shops in each state.” From there, costs were averaged. Nationally, the average cost for a dozen roses is $88.61.
Why are roses so expensive 2024? ›
This increase was attributed to factors like higher demand, and transportation costs. Similar trends were observed in other countries like the US and UK, where rose prices doubled or even tripled on Valentine's Day, which often influences Rose Day prices as well.
