Roses are red–and you know the rest. Sugar is sweet, so on and so forth.

Every year on Cupid’s Day, approximately 250 million roses will be produced for the holiday, according to the Society of American Florists. With the plethora of ruby petals that floods shops annually, it can be hard to imagine handing your sweetheart anything else. However, there is no shortage of options when it comes to originality on the most romantic day of the year. We spoke with Dallas-based florist Korrin Wheeler about the best flowers for Valentine’s Day, their meanings, the most important thing to keep in mind when shopping and how to make your cut flowers last longer.

THE BEST FLOWERS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY AT A GLANCE