With Valentine’s Day just a few days away, it really has me thinking, why are roses the go-to flower? Sure, they’re gorgeous, but most flowers are, yet here we are buying roses by the masses. According to About Flowers, “It is estimated that more than 250 million roses are produced for Valentine’s Day.” A majority of those being red roses bought by husbands for their spouses.
Roses are more than just a Hallmark trademark. They have a lengthy history, being cultivated about 5000 years ago. According to the Greek mythology, “Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, gave the rose its name in honor of her son Eros by rearranging just one letter in his name. In time Eros gave the rose to Harpocrates, god of silence, as a bribe to conceal the weakness of the gods. From there, rose became symbolic of secrecy, silence and love.”
Roses continued to be used throughout history as a symbol of love and admiration. This deep rooted symbolism continues to thrive today making the rose the number one selling flower.