Busy times at Royal FloraHolland in the run-up to Valentine's Day: 464 million flowers sold

It's busy times at Royal FloraHolland's leading international platform for flowers and plants. In the run-up to Valentine's Day, a total of 464 million flowers were traded (2025: 452 million) via the clock and direct trade, before finding their way to a loved one. Of these, 150 million were roses (2025: 144 million). While the rose is traditionally seen as the flower of love, Royal FloraHolland has noticed that tulips and chrysanthemums are also strongly represented in floral love.

While loved ones will only receive their flowers on Saturday, the peak period for growers and buyers was in the first three days of this week. This is to ensure that everyone in the Netherlands, but also in Europe and beyond, receives their favorite flower. It is a busy time on Royal FloraHolland's digital and logistics platform. "The days leading up to Valentine's Day mark the start of our peak period, which lasts until Pentecost. These days are so busy that even the office staff help out with logistics. We are doing everything we can to ensure that everyone can surprise their loved ones with the most beautiful flowers, grown by growers with incredible passion, on Valentine's Day!", says acting CEO David van Mechelen.

The Flower Love campaign launched this week, an initiative of Royal FloraHolland in collaboration with the Royal Association of Florist Retailers (VBW) and Plantion, focuses on the passion of growers and florists for their flowers, their profession, sustainable cultivation, and innovation.

From roses to lilies

Traditionally, roses are the most popular, followed by tulips. “When you think of Valentine's Day, you think of roses, but this week we are seeing that roses are certainly not the only flowers being sold. From lilies to tulips and from gerberas to chrysanthemums, they are all being given as gifts to show love,” says van Mechelen.

Top five most popular/most traded love flowers

1. Rose
2. Tulip
3. Chrysanthemum
4. Gerbera
5. Lily

Connection and greening

Flowers connect people and bring happiness; plants green our living environment and contribute to our mental and physical well-being. The floriculture sector is fully committed to making the chain more sustainable, from breeders and growers to trade, retail, and retailers. The sector is taking major steps toward more environmentally friendly cultivation. For some time now, the sector has been committed to transparency, measurability, and safety based on sustainability throughout the entire chain.

Consumers can buy flowers with confidence. This is also evident from the RIVM study in the NVWA report on possible imported roses published on January 21. In its advice, the NVWA states that no health risks are to be expected from touching the flowers during purchase and placing them in a vase.

Since 2015, there has been a worldwide decline of no less than 78% in the use of the most environmentally harmful (chemical) crop protection products. The same principle applies to crop protection products everywhere in the world: a product must be effective and safe for humans, animals, and the environment.