Roses are red, but some U-S florists are blue over flowers from South America this Valentine´s Day. About 85-percent of the roses Americans buy for their Valentines come from outside the U-S. Weather and low labor costs make flower-growing cheaper in places like Colombia and Ecuador.

Some family-owned florists in the U-S are making changes to stay competitive. Many are encouraging people to buy their sweetie other flowers, like snapdragons, calla lilies and daisies. Today is the biggest day of the year for sales of fresh-cut flowers, including about 130 million roses.