The roses looked fresh, but the prices were prickly. Buyers, however, were undeterred. Florists across the city were busy decking their shops in red, with bouquets of various sizes selling out quickly. Many came customised with chocolates and soft toys.

Demand peaked on the eve of Valentine’s Day, though traders said roses had been in high demand all week, starting with “Rose Day” on February 7.

“The surge began last weekend. Today is the peak. Demand will taper off once the marriage season and other festivities wind down,” said Narayan Chandra Nayek, general secretary of the Sara Bangla Chashi O Phool Byabsayee Samity.

Premium Dutch roses from Bengaluru, with longer stems, sold at ₹70 to ₹100 per piece, while the smaller Bengal variety was priced around ₹50. Despite the high rates, demand exceeded supply, leaving traders struggling to keep up.

“Roses have remained expensive for the past few days,” said a florist in New Alipore. Another vendor in Jadavpur, who normally sells Bengal roses at ₹20-25 year-round, quoted ₹80 per stem and refused to sell for less. Both shops were crowded throughout the day.

At the wholesale hub in New Market, employees worked nonstop to prepare bouquets. “We are selling Bengaluru roses wholesale at ₹50, and local ones at ₹30-35,” said Buddhdeb Giri of S.P. Coondoo and Son.

Florists said local roses, mainly grown in East and West Midnapore and Howrah, have 6cm stems and last up to three days. Dutch roses, in contrast, have longer 14cm stems, more petals, and a shelf life of over a week.

Many residents treat buying roses as an annual ritual. Priyanka Biswas from Agarpara purchased a 30-stem bouquet for ₹1,000 from New Market.

Red was the most popular choice, but lighter pink varieties from Bengaluru were also in high demand. “The demand for pink roses has been unbelievable this year. People are ready to pay extra,” said a Wood Street florist, who, like others, had to turn down orders due to overwhelming demand.