With the cost of fresh roses nearly doubling from last year due to extreme weather impacting production, preserved roses offer an affordable alternative that also lasts longer, florist Liu Tze-te (劉子德) said yesterday.
Roses are in high demand this month with Valentine’s Day approaching.
However, the cost of both domestic and imported roses has almost doubled compared with last year, as heavy rain and cold weather have affected production, Liu said.
Photo: Liu Wan-chun, Taipei Times
A bouquet of 20 roses costs NT$800 to NT$1,200 at the Tainan Flower Market this year, and a single rose costs NT$300 to NT$350, he said.
The price for a bouquet of imported roses has been NT$800 to NT$900 for many years, but this year it costs NT$1,800 to NT$2,000, he said.
Pink, white, red and purple roses are most popular for Valentine’s Day, Liu said.
A bouquet of pink and white roses, known as bridal colors, costs NT$1,200 to NT$1,500, he said.
The price of preserved flowers is comparatively stable, Liu said.
A standard Valentine’s bouquet of fresh flowers costs from NT$1,500 to NT$2,000, and a Valentine’s bouquet of preserved flowers costs about NT$1,000, he said.
While fresh flowers wilt after about five days, preserved flowers last from five months to a year, he said.
Liu studied floristry for 20 years and worked in the public sector for eight before opening a flower shop in Tainan’s Yongkang District (永康) five months ago.
Although roses are more expensive this year, the number of people buying roses for Valentine’s Day has not decreased, he said.
Instead, they buy smaller bouquets, he added.
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