Valentine’s Day Flower Options That Won’t Break the Bank

LITITZ, Pa. — A rose is a rose is a rose, the poem goes.

But with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the traditional bloom isn’t the only option, and may not be the best one either.

Whether you’re looking for a more budget-friendly flower or you’re hoping to stick to locally grown, switching it up from roses might be the way to go.

Leading up to the mid-February holiday, roses tend to be priced higher. Depending on where you shop, just a single rose stem could cost upwards of $30, and a dozen roses could push $80.

Regardless of what flower shop you’re buying roses from, chances are the flowers were shipped in from South America, specifically Colombia or Ecuador.

“The carbon footprint is ridiculous,” said Heather Jones, who works in the container gardening department at Esbenshade’s Garden Center. “If you want to buy someone you love something and also do something great for the Earth, buy something that didn’t get imported.”

Because the flowers have to make the long trip, the roses have been hybridized to fit in a shipping box and no longer have a scent.

There are some other options for cut flowers if roses aren’t the ideal pick.

Elizabeth Hassler, a long-time flower judge and member of the Garden Club of Reading, said mums and lilies would work as rose-alternatives.

“There’s still something special about receiving cut flowers,” Hassler said.

The downside of cut flowers is their short lifespan. Potted plants could solve that issue.

“Buy something that will last beyond a week,” Jones said.

Lots of potted flowers offer the colors you expect to see on Valentine’s Day — think pinks, reds and whites.

But, depending on your partner’s favorite color, you could find plants to suit almost any taste.

For those who want to stick with the typical Valentine’s Day hues, cyclamen might be the best bet.

“Cyclamen are a wonderful option if they still want that traditional flower look,” said Elizabeth O’Connell, a greenhouse assistant at Esbenshade’s.

The cyclamen are a budget-friendly option. At Esbenshade’s you can get a pot for less than $10.

Another option that almost screams Valentine’s Day is the anthurium.

“It’s got that brilliant red and it looks like a heart,” O’Connell said.

Hassler said she found a pot of anthurium for less than $20, which is still a bargain compared to roses.

Other non-rose options include carnations and alstroemeria. Both come in a few color options and could pair nicely together, Hassler said.

If you’re looking for a gift that keeps giving, helleborus — also known as the Lenten rose — might be the right choice as it’s a perennial.

Another plant with the word “rose” in the name is the primula, or primrose. These flowers come in a variety of colors including the traditional pink.

Lisianthus are a good choice if you’re looking for something with a rose-type look, but without the price tag or carbon footprint.

“They have a look of a rose without the trouble that roses are,” Jones said.

Another beautiful option is the orchid, which comes in a variety of colors and is fairly easy to take care of, especially the phalaenopsis, or moth orchid, variety.

“If you get an orchid, choose one that has buds about to come out,” Hassler said. “They last for a long, long time.”

Though red roses are what many people think of when it comes to Valentine’s Day, any plant could be a good gift for the holiday, all you have to do is “think a little bit outside the box,” Jones said.

“At this time of year, you can always pick up some little things to garnish it with, like little hearts,” Hassler said.

At the end of the day, what matters most isn’t what specific flower you give, but choosing a gift from the heart that you know your partner will love.

“The bottom line is it comes to knowing the person best,” O’Connell said. “So you know how exactly to spoil them.”