According to Answers.com, 23,789,567 dozen roses are sold in the U.S. each year for Valentine's Day.

Whether you gave flowers or received them this Valentine's Day, the significance of the type of flower may have eluded you. With the help of CountryLiving.com, you will be enlightened.

As recently reported on that Web site, flowers come with "covert codes." The most familiar Valentine's flower, the rose, symbolizes love, as most know. Another popular one, the tulip, is said to be a declaration of love.

Less familiar is the cosmos, whose code is joy in love and life, and the heliotrope, whose code is devoted affection.

Flowers with connotations that leave a lot to be desired include the peony, which symbolizes anger. Even worse, the lobelia is said to connote malevolence.

You might want to keep those two in mind if you want to enjoy next Valentine's Day.