Flower Facts Flower Information

How Long Do Flowers Last?

Man gifting woman bouquet of red flowers

As you gaze upon the beautiful bouquet you just brought into your home, you may be wondering how long these flowers will last. Unfortunately, there’s not a one size fits all answer. A flower’s vase life depends on the type of flower, how you care for your flowers, and the flower’s origin.

While you may not think much about where your flowers came from, it’s worth exploring. When you order a bouquet from The Bouqs Co., you receive flowers grown on sustainable farms in countries like the United States, Columbia, and Ecuador. Not only do we source our flowers from farms that practice ecologically-friendly methods, but we also do our best to reduce waste. That means we work closely with our farming communities, and you receive long-lasting flowers. With a model like this, flowers, love, and community can keep blooming.

Keep Blooming with Bouqs’ Flowers Cut to Last

As we mentioned above, The Bouqs Co. aims to provide you with long-lasting flowers. This starts at the farm, where we cut our flowers in bud form. From this point, flowers head right from the farm to our floral designers. While this method may sound like a no-brainer, the industry standard is to source flowers from warehouses, rather than the farms themselves. With this method, you never know how long ago your flowers were cut.

Once they’re in our flower shops, we work to efficiently create beautiful bouquets and deliver them to their end destination. We carefully care for the flowers throughout this entire process so they arrive fresh and ready to enjoy.

How to Help Flowers Last Longer

While different types of flowers have different vase lives, certain practices will help all flowers last as long as possible.

  • Give the stems a fresh cut upon arrival. Even if your flowers are farm fresh, the stems will still benefit from a fresh 45º cut. This will allow flowers to drink up as much water as possible.
  • Use a clean vase. Dirty vases can harbor bacteria and fungi that can speed up the death of your flowers. Always was a vase before using it.
  • Change the water every other day. Swapping out old water for fresh stuff will help stop the buildup of harmful microbes. Use room temperature water for best results.
  • Use the packet of flower food. That little packet is specially formulated to help flowers hydrate as well as slow the growth of bacteria. Use half of it when you first receive your flowers as the other half when you change your water.
  • Keep your flowers out of direct sunlight. While your bouquet may look gorgeous in the sunlight, the sun’s rays can speed up a flower’s decay. Keep your flowers in indirect light instead.
  • Place them in the fridge at night. Placing your flowers in the refrigerator or another cold area will help them last longer. If you do place them in the fridge, you should first remove ethylene-producing fruits like apples, apricots, and pears.
  • Remove dead flowers and foliage. While some flowers die all at once, it’s common for flower stems to die piece by piece. If you notice a brown leaf or wilting flower, remove it to keep your flowers looking fresh.

Alstroemeria

How long do they last: 10 to 14 days

Also known as Peruvian lilies, alstroemerias bright colors and little stripes add a tropical element to any mixed bouquet. While these flowers look delicate, they’re quite hardy once cut. When you combine their long vase life and gorgeous appearance, it’s no surprise alstroemeria are one of your top picks for unique flowers for Mother’s Day.

Carnations

How long do they last: 7 to 14 days

While carnations sometimes get a bad wrap as a cheap alternative to roses, modern carnations dazzle with beautiful colors and ruffled petals. Once you fall in love with these blooms, you’ll be happy to realize they can last for up to two weeks.

Chrysanthemums

How long do they last: 7 to 21 days

Yes, you read that right — the humble mum can last for up to three weeks! Since these flowers symbolize joy and hope, they’re a perfect way to celebrate strong friendships. If looking for other ways to celebrate female friendship, check out this Galentine’s Day Guide.

Delphinium

How long do they last: 5 to 7 days

Delphinium, also known as larkspur, is extra sensitive to the gaseous hormone ethylene, so make sure to keep these flowers away from fruits like apples and peaches. This is especially important if you stick your vase in the fridge overnight.

Freesia

How long do they last: 5 to 10 days

While you may be tempted to pick up freesia that is already fully blooming, it’s best to choose a stem with only one or two flowers open. Another tip is to avoid using tap water since freesia can be sensitive to fluoride. Instead, use filtered water or rainwater.

Lilies

How long do they last: 10 to 14 days

While each lily stem can last for up to two weeks, each bloom will look fresh for four to seven days. To keep your lilies looking good, remove each individual flower as it fades.

Orchids

How long do they last: 7 to 14 days

While orchids are most commonly enjoyed as potted plants, they can also be used as cut flowers. Treat them just like other cut flowers to help them last as long as possible.

Peonies

How long do they last: 5 to 7 days

While you can’t argue with a peony’s luxurious ruffled petals, these flowers don’t have the best vase life. With that said, they can last up to a week if they’re harvested in bud form. To get the most of these flowers, refresh the water every day.

Roses

How long do they last: 7 to 14 days

Whether you’re buying roses as part of your Mother’s Day flowers or picking some up for a sick friend, you’ll want to look for flowers in bud form. Not only do bud form flowers last longer, but the recipient will be able to watch the roses bloom over time.

Snapdragons

How long do they last: 5 to 10 days

Snapdragons have many individual blooms attached to a tall stalk. Since the lower flowers bloom first, you may notice these flowers fade while the top flowers still look great. To help your snapdragons last as long as possible, remove the spent blooms.

Sunflowers

How long do they last: 10 to 14 days

Sunflowers brighten up any space, as long as they’re cut to last more than a day or two. When it comes to sunflowers, single-stem varieties last longer than branching types. As with all flowers, sunflowers cut in bud form will last longer than flowers that are cut when fully open.

Tulips

How long do they last: 5 to 10 days

With tulips of all colors and textures, these flowers are easy to love. To help your tulips last as long as possible, avoid placing them in direct sunlight or near a warm vent; that means keeping your tulips away from that romantic fireplace.

Zinnias

How long do they last: 2 to 3 weeks

Not only are zinnias easy to grow in the garden, but they are also rockstars when it comes to vase life. With the proper care, fresh-cut zinnias can easily last for over two weeks.

Order Flowers Meant to Last

Now that you have a better idea of the vase life of flowers, it’s time to order a bouquet for your loved ones (and one for yourself). By following the tips outlined above, you’ll be able to keep your bouquets blooming for multiple days.

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