A simple case of supply and demand affects the price of Valentine's Day roses:

• Valentine's Day inspires the heaviest demand for long-stemmed roses, and several rosebuds must be sacrificed to create a single long-stemmed rose.
• After the Christmas season demand for red roses is filled, growers need 50-70 days to produce enough roses for Valentine's Day.
• Winter's shorter daylight hours and higher energy costs hamper efforts to grow large rose crops.
• Inclement weather often requires extreme measures to ensure that flowers are delivered in time.
• To fulfill the tremendous number of orders for Valentine's Day flowers, florists have to hire additional help, work longer hours and acquire extra delivery vehicles and drivers.

In short, roses in February are every bit as special as you would expect.