Some bouquets stay lovely for two or three weeks, others fade in four days — and care is not the only reason. Vase life is largely built into the flower itself: petal density, stem thickness and sensitivity to ethylene. Below is a ranking of flowers by vase life, tips for building a long-lasting bouquet and a list of the best choices when the gift has to last. Find more flowers with photos and names in our types of flowers guide. Learn more in mixed bouquet care.
The figures are a guide for fresh flowers with normal care: a clean vase, recut stems and fresh water. In heat or without water any bouquet will last about half as long.
Lasting in a vase and lasting on the road are not the same. A bouquet carried for hours in a car or held through a ceremony loses water faster than one standing in a cool room. Flowers with dense petals and thick stems cope best:
chrysanthemums and carnations barely wilt for 3–4 hours without water;
alstroemerias keep their shape, though leaves may droop slightly;
statice and gypsophila simply dry a little without losing their look;
proteas and leucadendrons are the toughest of the exotics.
Hydrangeas, gerberas, peonies and tulips, on the other hand, quickly bend their heads without water. If you are transporting them, ask the florist for an aqua box or a damp wrap around the stems — it buys you several hours.
How to check freshness when buying flowers
Even the toughest variety will not last if it was cut a week ago. A few quick checks:
The stem cut is pale and firm, not slimy or dark.
Rose sepals hug the bud or sit slightly open; if they are bent fully downwards, the flower is no longer young.
Chrysanthemum and carnation petals are dense, without dry brown edges.
Lily and alstroemeria buds are partly closed, so the bouquet will keep opening at home for days.
The water in the shop bucket is clear and odourless.
When ordering delivery, ask for a photo of the finished bouquet before dispatch — the easiest way to see the flowers’ condition.
Basic care that every ranking depends on
Recut stems at an angle, 2–3 cm, with a sharp knife every 2–3 days.
Remove leaves below the waterline.
Change the water every 1–2 days and wash the vase.
What should I give someone who is travelling or busy?
Chrysanthemums, alstroemeria and carnations cope best with a missed water change. An arrangement in floral foam is even easier: it only needs topping up with water.
Do aspirin, sugar or a coin in the water help?
There is no reliable evidence for aspirin or coins. Commercial flower food works better: it contains both nutrients and ingredients that keep bacteria in check.
Which flowers can be dried afterwards?
Statice, gypsophila, protea, eryngium and hydrangea dry beautifully and can stay in your home for months.
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
Birthday
Hydrangeas
