Red roses are Romanians' favorite flowers, according to FlorideLux, one of the leading flower retailers on the local market. Roses generate over 40 percent of the retailer's sales.

Considered messengers of love, roses are mainly offered by men, either to surprise girlfriends or wives, to ask them for forgiveness or for marriage proposals.

“White roses are usually offered in business situations, which signify honesty, while mothers receive orange roses, the symbol of hope, or pink roses, which signify respect and sincere love,” said Marius Dosinescu, CEO and founder FlorideLux.

The highest sales of roses are registered in February, which coincides with Valentine's Day and Dragobete (the Romanian celebration of love), but roses remain Romanians’ favorite flowers throughout the year.

Romanian media company Mediafax Group and consultancy firm BAC Investment Banking took in June this year a 35 percent stake in local flower retail business FlorideLux.

FlorideLux owns the www.floridelux.ro online flower shop, but also www.brazidecraciun.ro, which sells Christmas trees, www.coroane.ro, which sells funeral wreaths, and www.cosuridelux.ro, which sells gift baskets for different occasions. The company has also opened traditional flower shops under franchise.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com