A Dozen Fast Facts

12 Romantic Facts About Roses (adopted from Rose Kennedy, special to HGTV.com )
While flowers are typically considered a loving and romantic gesture, roses are definitely the flower of love. Hardly anyone can remember the precise amount of the national debt, but at least 90 percent of women can remember the last time they received flowers, and over half of those sent would be roses.

Below are a dozen fast facts about the most famous romantic flower:
1) Valentine’s Day 2005 the floral industry produced approximately 180 million roses.
2) Of all fresh roses purchased, 64% red, 11% pink, 10% mixed, 5% peach/salmon, 4% yellow, 3% are white, and 3% other.
3) 74% of Roses are bought by men.
4) Of rose purchases made by women, 32% sent to their mothers.
5) Of rose purchases made by women, 24% sent to husband or significant other, 22% sent to themselves, 16% to their daughters, and 14% to their friends.
6) For 20 years, Joe DiMaggio sent 6 red roses to the crypt of his deceased former wife, Marilyn Monroe, three times a week.
7) Three to five blooms are sacrificed in a rose bush to allow a single long stem rose to grow.
8) Infatuation is symbolized by 6 roses in a bouquet.
9) A traditional one month anniversary gift for a couple celebrating their shared love is 3 roses in a bouquet.
10) It takes 20-60 minutes to submerge whole droopy roses underwater (after trimming about an inch from the stems) in the hopes of reviving them.
11) The highest temperature roses should be displayed at is 80 degrees Fahrenheit, lasting longest at a cooler temperature.
12) Greenaway's Language of Flowers was first published in 1885, 122 years ago, specifying the following meanings:

a. Deep Red Roses “bashful shame”
b. White Roses “I am worthy of you”
c. Red Rosebuds “Pure and lovely”
d. Yellow “Decrease of love” or “jealousy”…today the yellow rose indicates friendship, joy, and caring.
Today, the red rose is a universal symbol of passionate love.

Again, we invite you to give us feedback. What do you want to know about?

- The Romance Channel Staff