While a dozen red roses and rose bouquets no doubt remained the most popular Valentine’s Day floral purchase, some surprise bestsellers and adept promotions sparked sales.

At Hy-Vee stores, a cash-and-carry, roses-only bouquet at $18.88 was popular due to its price, Cindy Sulzman, assistant vice president for floral operations, observed.

As the economy began its sluggish recovery in 2011, improved demand helped the on-line flower industry recover last year, when revenue grew by 2.9 percent, according to IBISWorld industry analyst Agata Labianca. The on-line companies are expected to expand an additional 3.5 percent over 2012, she said in a Feb. 22 report.

A flowering ground cover, two flowering plants, a fragrant flowering culinary herb and three types of trees and ornamental grass are this year’s garden selections from the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association. The 2012 selections announced Feb. 9 mark the 13th year of the program,

The flowering plant selections are the Beach Sunflower, with heart-shaped leaves and small sunflower-like heads year-round, and Mandevilla, a tropical vine with blooms up to six inches wide in pink, crimson, burgundy, white and striped colors.

New Limeco’s ‘Sunset Jewel’ papayas from Central America.

Eddie Caram, assistant general manager for Princeton, FL-based New Lim