Before the days of globalization and free trade, giving your sweetie some flowers for Valentine's Day was a much simpler process. You picked the posies yourself, wrapped a little string around the bouquet and you had an instant present.

But the flowers you give now don't come from your backyard, or anybody's for that matter. They don't even come from the United States. The flowers you give have traveled a great distance to spread a little love.

According to the Society of American Florists, imported flowers account for about 70 percent of cut flowers sold in this country. It's not that the U.S. is ill-equipped for growing, but like with so many other industries, the cost of business is cheaper elsewhere.

Of those countries that import cut flowers to the U.S., Colombia provides the largest volume, with 53 percent of the imported cut flowers, according to 2002 figures. The other five top import countries/regions - Ecuador, European Union, Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica - don't even compete.

Long-stem red roses have long been the flowers of choice on Valentine's Day. This Valentine's Day, local florists vying for lovers' hearts and dollars will be selling roses grown primarily in other countries.

Gay Foltz, owner of Hometown Florist in King Ferry, used to buy many of her roses from a grower in Elmira, Chemung County, but said they just couldn't compete with the South American market.

"The Elmira roses were smaller with a weaker stem, but they were a nice flower. The Colombian flowers are a good, sturdy flower," she said.

Foltz says because of the consistent weather and climate in Colombia, the flowers are more uniform. Plus, they're cheaper than American flowers.

The roses have a long way to travel before they make it into the hands of that special someone. Foltz buys her roses from a broker in Miami who sets the prices and deals with the shipment. Her particular broker is Global Rose, though there are dozens in Miami that deal in the same trade.

She buys her roses by the box, with 160 to 250 roses per box depending on the variety. Once the flowers end their two-day trailer journey, Foltz says they have to be conditioned before they can be sold.

Foltz cools the flowers for four hours at 40 degrees and then cuts off the stems under water. She then dethorns the roses, adds some baby's breath and then they're ready to be put in bouquets. She says most people don't realize all the work that goes into the roses from growing to shipping to arranging.

"People just see them and they think they're pretty and they buy them," she said.

Last year, the Society of American Florists estimated that 175 million roses were produced for Valentine's Day, amounting to about 1.45 million bouquets. Of cut flower purchases, Valentine's Day outranks all other holidays, with 34 percent of transactions and 36 percent of dollar volume. Statistically, Valentine's Day is the number one holiday for florists.

As most men know, Valentine's Day doesn't come cheap. With retail floriculture sales topping $19 billion in 2003, the business of flowers is big business indeed.

Over the Valentine's holiday, the price of roses increase from wholesaler to retailer. Augie Greene, owner of Greene Ivy Florist in Cato, buys most of her roses through a broker in Miami called Esprit. She also deals with local Syracuse distributors who buy direct from Colombia and Ecuador.

She says the volume prices for roses have remained pretty steady over the past couple of years, but that the price is often dependent on the weather in these countries. Bad weather equals high prices and vice versa. But that has little effect on Valentine's roses.

"The prices for roses definitely go up around Valentine's Day. You'll be paying double what you would at another time in the year," she said.

While Greene won't divulge how much she pays per rose, Foltz says she pays $1.25 to $1.50 per rose and sells a dozen Valentine's roses for $32. Greene charges a bit more for a dozen - -$59.95 - but she has to in order to compensate for the increase in fuel costs, as well as the extras like paper, baby's breath and a vase.

Greene says every supplier she's dealt with has added a surcharge to delivery costs because of the fuel situation. Her dozens used to sell for $55, but she had to raise the price because of the surcharge.

Sandra Schmidt, owner of Fleur-de-lis Florist in Skaneateles, sells her rose bouquets for $45.99 cash and carry (for the men who forgot to order in advance) and $59.95 for flowers that are delivered. In the past, she's sold a dozen long-stem red roses for $75 a pop when the market in those South American countries was in bad shape.

Schmidt's roses come from Ecuador and she says the Colombian flowers can't compare.

"Those [Colombian] roses are usually bulbier with huge, fat stems. Tons of it is grown and it's generally what you'll find in the grocery stores," she said.

If she sounds like a bit of a flower snob, it's because she has to be. Customers who know flowers demand the best.

"I spend a lot of time shopping around for the best price and quality. It's not easy," Schmidt said. "You can sell cheap stuff, but you'll hear about it. When the petals start falling off when you bring them home, you get what you pay for."

Staff writer Lauren Ober can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or lauren.ober@lee.net