Zimbabweans are embracing inventive expressions of romance shaped by economic realities as Valentine’s Day approaches. Money bouquets fashioned from U.S. dollar bills are increasingly rivaling fresh flowers. That reflects the premium placed on liquidity in a cash-driven economy.
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Here's who is most at risk and symptoms to watch forInspired by Picasso, an AP photographer visualizes a blind person ‘seeing’ artWhat to know about EPA decision to revoke a scientific finding that helped fight climate changeColorectal cancer is rising in younger adults. Here's who is most at risk and symptoms to watch forDemocratic-led states sue to stop Trump from withholding $600M in health grantsInstagram chief says he does not believe people can get clinically addicted to social mediaGet the love part right: It's about knowing each other, sacrifice and sticking around on bad daysPentágono permitió que CBP usara láser antidrones antes que la FAA cerrara espacio aéreo de El PasoRomance in Zimbabwe is taking strikingly inventive forms, reflecting life in an economy where cash reigns supreme and sustainability gains new social value. Florist Tongai Mufandaedza holds a money bouquet designed for Valentine’s Day at his stall in Harare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. A florist makes a money bouquet designed for Valentine’s Day at his stall in Harare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. Stephanie Charlton, the owner of a gift shop that retails in recycled aluminium gifts, holds “love” signs in Harare, Zimbabwe, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. A flower bouquet that incorporates real money sits for sale on the sidewalk in Nairobi, Kenya, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. Romance in Zimbabwe is taking strikingly inventive forms, reflecting life in an economy where cash reigns supreme and sustainability gains new social value. Florist Tongai Mufandaedza holds a money bouquet designed for Valentine’s Day at his stall in Harare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. Florist Tongai Mufandaedza holds a money bouquet designed for Valentine’s Day at his stall in Harare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. A florist makes a money bouquet designed for Valentine’s Day at his stall in Harare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. A florist makes a money bouquet designed for Valentine’s Day at his stall in Harare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. Stephanie Charlton, the owner of a gift shop that retails in recycled aluminium gifts, holds “love” signs in Harare, Zimbabwe, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. Stephanie Charlton, the owner of a gift shop that retails in recycled aluminium gifts, holds “love” signs in Harare, Zimbabwe, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. A flower bouquet that incorporates real money sits for sale on the sidewalk in Nairobi, Kenya, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. A flower bouquet that incorporates real money sits for sale on the sidewalk in Nairobi, Kenya, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. HARARE, Zimbabwe — Liquidity as affection and trash as a symbol of enduring love. From bouquets fashioned from dollar bills to heart-shaped gifts forged from recycled scrap metal, romance in Zimbabwe is taking strikingly inventive forms, reflecting life in an economy where cash reigns supreme and sustainability gains new social value. You can’t buy love, the saying goes. But from florists in traditional markets to social media sellers angling for attention on TikTok, dollar bills rolled and pinned together to resemble a floral bouquet are increasingly rivaling fresh flowers as Valentine Day’s most coveted tokens of appreciation in “Please God, make my lover see this,” commented one TikTok user under a video advertising glittering cash-and-flower arrangements. “May this bouquet locate me in Jesus name, amen,” wrote another.At a decades-old flower market in the capital, Harare, Tongai Mufandaedza, a florist, patiently assembled one such “money bouquet.” Using adhesive and bamboo sticks, he folded crisp $50 notes into decorative cone shapes, weaving them with stems of white roses.“The market has improved because of the money bouquets,” said Mufandaedza, who has worked at the country’s biggest flower market for three decades. “On Valentine’s Day, we are going to have more, more, more customers, because this is something which is trending. Everyone wants to impress,” he said, then patched the arrangement in bright red wrapping and ribbons.“The person who came up with the trend, I just need to give them a hands up. They did a good job,” said the 23-year-old. “It’s a way of appreciating my partner, it’s a 100 for me, it’s a 100.”While Generation Z is driving the craze, Mufandaedza said demand is spreading across generations. Some parents, he added, are even buying money bouquets for their daughters “so that they don’t fall into peer pressure and get tempted to go for sugar daddies who can lure them with such gifts.” Prices vary widely. Smaller bouquets may contain as little as $10, while larger arrangements can run into the thousands. In some cases, they are even cheaper than traditional floral gifts. A bouquet of dollar notes with a value of $10 costs $25, while a bouquet of 10 good-grade red roses costs between $35 and $40, he said. Many ask “where is the money?” if Mufandaedza delivers a bouquet of flowers without a cash design, he said.“People still love flowers, but when they see the notes on top, the love feels hotter and the gesture even more meaningful. Survival matters more in these difficult times and money plays a bigger role,” he said. The U.S. dollar has dominated transactions since hyperinflation forced authorities to abandon the local currency in 2009. Although Zimbabwe has since, sometimes jokingly referred to as “war veterans,” are hardly suitable for decorative bouquets, spawning spin-off businesses of enterprising traders who supply clean replacement notes at a commission. Zimbabwe isn’t alone in flirting with the fusion of cash and courtship. Money bouquets have also surged in popularity elsewhere in Africa, including Kenya, one of the world’s largest flower exporters. Before Valentine’s Day, Kenya’s central bank warned of stiff penalties of up to seven years in prison for folding, stapling or gluing banknotes into bouquets, arguing that damaged currency disrupts cash-handling systems and violates laws against defacing money. The directive sparked lively debate online, with critics accusing regulators of overreach.Back in Zimbabwe, no such restrictions exist. But for some, love is finding expression not just through cash, but through trash recycled into keepsakes. At an upscale shopping center in Harare, aluminium heart-shaped key rings, necklaces, platters and wine holders crafted from reclaimed scrap were lined up next to chocolates and gift boxes in Simpli Simbi, a decor and gift shop. “Simbi” means metal in the local Shona language. “We are taking something that was unloved before, polishing it up and making it beautiful again towards a gift to someone that they can treasure forever,” said Stephanie Charlton, founder of the shop. Charlton said that her customer base, once dominated by tourists and diaspora Zimbabweans, is increasingly local because of rising environmental awareness.“Women love chocolates and flowers, but they are here today, gone tomorrow,” said Charlton, a former horticulture exporter who now employs 20 people. “This is something that we have collected that would be filling up a landfill. But we have made it into something beautiful that you can give to , show them that you treasure them. There is a meaning behind it, there is a story to be told with each piece.”The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s
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