One of the most important parts of flower arranging is knowing
how to treat your flowers. And, some are more finicky than
others. Each season, we'll share Dale's tricks on how to handle
some of those "special flowers" and allow them to last longer.
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Genus Name
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Popular Common Name
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Special Care and Notes of Importance
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Achillea
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Yarrow-sneezewort
(yellow, pink, white, red, mauve)
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Best in warm water (no foam); dries easily.
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Acontium
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Monkshood
(blue, deep blue, purple)
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Best in water; blooms bottom up.
For long-lasting plant, choose when the lower buds are beginning
to open.
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Ammi
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Queen Anne’s lace
(white)
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Arrange directly in water or foam.
Dries easily; excellent “filler” flower.
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Antirhinum
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Snapdragon
(huge color selection)
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Arrange directly in water or foam.
To force buds to open, snip off the top 2” of each stem.
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Callistepus
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China aster
(white, yellow, pink, lavender, deep pink, cream)
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Best in water. Remove all foliage
below the water level. Long-lasting (up to 14 days).
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Celosia
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Cockscomb;
Chinese wood flower
(scarlet, crimson, yellow, red)
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Lasts longer in warm water, but can be arranged in foam.
Remove all foliage.
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Centauarea
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Cornflower;
Bachelor’s button
(bright blue, sometimes pink and
white)
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Arrange only in warm water. Remove all foliage. Turns gray as
it ages.
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Digitalis
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Foxglove
(mainly pink and blue, some red,
white, maroon, yellow)
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Arrange in water only.
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Eustoma
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Lisiantus - bell flower
(pink, white, purple, lavender, and two color)
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Longer-lasting arranged in water,
but can use foam. Re-cut stems often.
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Gerbera
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African daisy
(all colors- bright and pastel)
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Arrange in water only. Lasts up to
ten days. Keep in cool area
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Gladiolus
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Sword lily
(all colors except blue)
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Arrange in water or foam. Arrange
when the first lower buds show color. Remove faded florets. Snip
the top tips to encourage other buds to flourish.
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Gypsophia
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Baby’s breath
Gyp
(white)
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Arrange in water or foam. Excellent
“filler” flower. Dries easily for re-use.
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Ixia
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African corn lily
(white, cream, pink, red, purple)
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Best arranged in water, but can use
foam. Has a wildflower appearance.
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Liatrus
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Gay feather
Kansas godfather
Blazing star
(mauve, cream/white, magenta)
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Water or foam. Blooms from the top down. Excellent for
wildflower arrangements.
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Limonium
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Statice;
Seafoam static
(blue, purple, pink, white, and
yellow)
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Water or foam. Excellent for drying. Retains its natural
color.
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Phlox
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Summer phlox
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Lasts longer arranged in water.
Select stems in full bloom as buds rarely open after cutting.
Sweet fragrance.
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Polianthes
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Tuberose
(white)
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Best arranged in water, but can use
foam. Pinch top buds out to encourage lower buds to develop.
Cool area will increase their fabulous strong fragrance.
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Veronica
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Speedwell
(shades of blue)
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Arrange in water or foam. Remove
most of the foliage allowing water to go directly to the flower
head. Re-cut stems frequently.
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Zinnia
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Zinnia
(all colors, bright and strong)
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Arrange in water only. Long lasting (up to ten days) Remove
all foliage below water level.
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