Care of Valentine’s Day flowers

- By Patricia Hanbidge

February 9, 2026

key points from this story:

• Valentine’s Day has deep cultural roots
• Victorians assigned meanings to flowers
• Over 250 million roses are sold yearly
• Clean vases extend cut flower life
• Mini roses need bright light and moisture
• Azaleas prefer cool bright spaces

Valentine’s Day is a celebration full of interesting history and customs. From its pagan roots to its Christianization and modern-day celebrations, Valentine’s Day has evolved into a day dedicated to expressing love and affection to those we care about. The language of flowers, or floriography, adds an extra layer of meaning and beauty to this special day. Next time you give or receive flowers on Valentine’s Day, take a moment to appreciate the rich history and symbolism behind this timeless tradition.

During Victorian times, flowers were given special meanings and small bouquets would be given to sweethearts to demonstrate love. The rose has been forever a symbol of love, beauty and peace and evidence of cultivation of roses dates back to over 5000 years ago. Over Valentines over 250 million roses will be harvested and bring in over two billion dollars in sales!

If you received cut flowers from your valentine, then here are a few tips to prolong their life and beauty. Begin with a clean vase. If your container was previously used, then wash it with hot, soapy water to remove any debris and destroy bacteria and fungi that might shorten the life of your cut flowers. Cut off the bottom half inch of your flowers to aid in water uptake. Ensure all foliage is removed beneath the water line. When your flowers begin to wilt, just give them a quick recut to ensure the stems are able to take water up to the blooms and rewash and refill the vase with clean water as well as more of the floral preservative if you have some.

Those who received or purchased a potted plant usually can enjoy these for a longer period of time. Miniature roses are a popular choice as a planted gift for this special day. They need bright light so place them in a south or west facing window. Miniature roses need a consistent moisture supply so ensure you water them when the surface of the media is dry to the touch. Fertilize weekly with a high phosphorus fertilizer to keep them blooming. Watch them closely as they tend to get spider mites very easily.

One other popular plant at this time of year is the azalea. They are beautiful plants and tend to bloom for long periods of time. They prefer bright light but a cool location with temperatures around 60 F (15 C) being just about perfect. Water azaleas thoroughly whenever the service of the media feels dry. When they have finished blooming they are usually discarded.

Pots of spring flowering bulbs, primroses and other spring plants are plentiful at this time of year. These are cheery little pots bringing sunshine into our homes when the nights are still quite long. A bonus with primroses is once we truly get spring these can be planted out in the garden in a partial shade area. Ensure that the soil is rich in organic matter!

Remember that our homes are not really welcoming to plants that would normally live in areas with brighter light and higher humidity. Our plants in our houses are stressed during our long winter months so ensure you are giving them the care they deserve for brightening up our lives!

Hope your February is going well and your heart is full with all of what gives us joy during our winter!