Long-stemmed red roses measuring 60-70 centimeters cost about 95 cents per stem wholesale compared to a medium-stemmed rose of about 50 centimeters, which costs about 75 cents, McBride says.

A dozen red roses is timeless. But its price tag is not. At Ditmars Flower Shop in Queens, where costs have soared in recent years, a bouquet is $72, up from $60 in 2019.