The American Nursery & Landscape Association and OFA, the Association of Horticulture Professionals (formerly the Ohio Florists Association), are launching a joint venture that will initially focus on business education and advocacy.

In a news release announcing the move, the two groups said the concept for it developed from a working group of elected leaders of the two organizations and could lead to a merger in several years that would form “a new, single premier horticulture organization serving North America.”

The only comprehensive annual survey of production for the U.S. floriculture industry is underway, continuing through March 31 in the 15 states with significant floral, foliage or plant crops, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced.

The USDA study, called the 2011 Commercial Floriculture Survey, will ask for production statistics from about 10,000 commercial growers that produced and sold at least $10,000 worth of certain floriculture crops to wholesalers or retailers last year.

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.