US (CA): Flower farmers seek hectic Valentine’s Day sales

New research debunks the long-held belief that flower sales dip when Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend. California cut flower farmers say they’re busier than ever — harvesting, packing and shipping — to meet consumer demand for flowers that speak the language of love.

Analysts with floral market experts Prince & Prince say the theory of dampened sales on weekends isn’t supported by historical data. Instead, data shows a slight increase in consumer floral purchasing for Valentine’s Day when the holiday falls on Saturday or Sunday, compared to weekday holidays.

The slight weekend sales bump translates into an estimated $130 million in additional floral spending for Valentine’s Day, which this year is expected to top $3.3 billion.

“We always sell out of roses for the Valentine’s Day holiday,” said Paul Furman of California Pajarosa Floral in Watsonville. The family has been growing greenhouse roses in the Pajaro Valley since 1979, switching to hydroponic production in 1992.

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