Joan Baez famously wondered, ” Where have all the flowers gone?” Did she ever ponder where they had come from in the first place?

As we approach Valentine’s Day, even the most left-footed of suitors are driven to a romantic gesture, and they mainly choose flowers. Or, more specifically, roses. This year, Americans will buy 1.3 billion roses, making it by far the country’s most popular flower.

Ever since George Washington, our first president, became our first rose breeder, Americans have had a love affair with this native flower. (Fossilized imprints found in Colorado suggest that roses have been growing in America for at least 35 million years.)

This week, Americans celebrate their enthusiasm for roses in a big way. Valentine’s Day accounts for 35% of holiday purchases of cut flowers, and indeed is the biggest day of the year for florists. The owner of Windsor Florist on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Sam Karalis, says he will do at least triple his normal sales volume this week. Not only will he sell thousands of roses, but he also expects brisk sales of orchids and other flowering plants. He and his staff took most of the weekend off just to rest up ahead of the onslaught.

His neighbors at Lenox Hill Florists say it is for sure the biggest day of the year for them, but not necessarily the most profitable. Though they have raised prices on the most popular gift items, wholesalers and importers have jacked up costs by an even greater percentage. “People think we can retire after Valentine’s Day” one staff person said, “but we’ll still be here.”

How does an industry selling perishable items cope with this spike in demand?

America’s florists rely mainly on imports to meet demand for roses and other cut flowers. Over 85% of the roses which will be given to loved ones tomorrow will have been brought in from other countries, mainly Colombia and Ecuador. Over the past 30 years, imports have taken an increasing percentage of cut flower sales, driven by the lower costs of year-round production enjoyed by countries south of our border, as well as by lower labor costs. Overall, imports will contribute some 65% of all cut flowers sold in America this year, worth an estimated $1.2 billion at wholesale prices.

South American exporters also benefit from looser regulations governing the use of pesticides and fertilizers — items that can boost yields. Some organizations claim that imported flowers present a health threat, and that every time you sniff a rose you may be inhaling toxic materials.

Our reliance on imports has been accelerated by the growing importance of supermarkets, mass merchandisers like Wal-Mart and Costco, and by the Internet. These sales outlets advertise mainly on the basis of price, offering few of the service niceties provided by local florists.

This shift has also been helped along by the development of tougher rose varieties that allow the flowers to be shipped greater distances. Just as growers have developed tomatoes that can travel without bruising (and which could lose a taste competition with a well-worn softball) roses, too, have developed thicker stems that allow the flowers to gulp down essential water more quickly, and to survive long flights. Along the way, roses have lost some of their delicacy, and certainly much of their aroma.

Such changes may ultimately allow China to become a significant exporter of roses. The Chinese are investing hundreds of millions of dollars to develop large flower growing areas in the remote Yunnan Province, but at the moment production is held back by high transportation costs. Though New York buyers have not yet encountered product from China, it is probably only a matter of time before its presence will be felt.

Though roses grown in Colombia and Ecuador are cheaper than those produced in California, the prime American growing state, most in the industry acknowledge that the foreign imports are also of higher quality. How is quality measured? Should our romantic suitor steer clear of supermarket or Internet specials, and instead head for the higher-priced goods?

There is a wide range of prices asked for the traditional red rose bouquet. There are few bargains. Even Wal-Mart looks pricey, advertising FTD bouquets for $67 to $82 a few days before Valentine’s Day. ProFlowers offered one dozen long-stem roses in a vase for $49.98, with another dozen thrown in for $19.99, while 1-800-Flowers advertised “premium” roses at $79.99 a dozen.

Upscale florists like Windsor and Lenox Hill are charging more than $100 for a dozen long-stem red roses. They maintain that there is a big difference between what they are selling and what is available at your grocery store or over the Internet. Typically, higher priced roses will have larger heads, and they will likely last longer. Traditional florists are more likely to ensure that your flowers are delivered intact and in good condition. They arrange them gracefully, and, more important, many offer a guarantee. If the blooms don’t open or if they droop within a day or two, they will replace them. Good luck asking your local supermarket to freshen up your bouquet.

Vendors in the flower district of New York, on Sixth Avenue between 27th and 28th streets, confirm there are big quality differences in the roses available from different sources. The folks at wholesaler George Rallis offer a range of roses, from $1.75 a stem, to $2.25 for roses grown naturally.

They say the large chains and supermarkets have contracted directly with importers, saving money by cutting out the traditional wholesaler. This evolution has taken a toll on the flower district, which has seen a drop off of participants in the last 20 years, but which is still a vibrant hub, especially this week.

The flowers available from your local deli could have been bought directly from importers as well, but tend to be goods that have failed to sell and are therefore a little too old to be sold at premium prices.

How is our clueless suitor to choose? First, it is important to remember that his intentions will be delighted, regardless of his choice. The Society of American Florists cite consumer research that shows that 92% of women can remember the last time someone sent them flowers, and 89% say that receiving flowers makes them feel special.

In other words, it is hard to go wrong. The only real sin is doing nothing.

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