Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue. If You Love Flowers, Thank A Pollinator Or Two

What do you think of when you think of Valentines Day? If you’re like us, you think of roses. With roughly 250 million roses grown for Valentines Day each year, we think it’s fair to say most people think of roses. Why roses, when there are so many beautiful flowers to choose from? Roses have come to symbolize many things: purity, innocence, and gratitude. Red roses the most popular rose on Valentines Day have come to symbolize romantic love, passion and devotion.

Roses are pollinated by bees in addition to other pollinators. They do this by transferring pollen from the male parts of a rose to the female parts, which help the plant to reproduce.

The majority of roses grown for Valentines Day come from Columbia and Ecuador. These flowers are grown in unheated hoop houses. The long warm days and cool evenings provide the perfect growing temperature. There are about 130 native bee species found in both countries.

So, if you love getting roses on Valentines Day and beyond, say thank you to the hardworking bees of Ecuador and Columbia.