How long should cut flowers last?

Have you ever wondered why some cut flowers seem to last for weeks, while others only stick around for a few days?  How long should cut flowers really last? 

Flowers cut from the garden, or from the Petals flower fields, are very different from commercially grown and imported flowers.  When we hear someone say “my roses (anemones, ranunculus, etc.) lasted for weeks!” we totally understand your excitement but another side of us cringes.  This is because, by nature, flowers are not supposed to last that long.  Each cultivar has its own expected vase life. For the commercial flower industry, there is a delay in getting the flowers from the field to the consumer mainly based on transportation time.  Therefore, many of the commercial varieties are “treated” to extend their vase life.

We think that part of the beauty of flowers is the ephemeral quality, meaning they are here only for a short time and are meant to be enjoyed during their natural life.  There is a beauty in letting a flower take its natural course, instead of trying to make it unnaturally last forever. 

Don’t get us wrong, commercially grown flowers absolutely have their place in the market.  If you are wanting a dozen long stem red roses in February, commercially grown flowers will get you what you need.  But if your focus is on sustainably grown flowers that have a very small greenhouse gas emission, help feed the bee and butterfly population, and are as natural as you can get, consider farmer grown flowers.  They might not last quite as long (usually 5-6 days vase life), but their uniqueness, delicacy and the impermanence of farmer-grown flowers last well beyond the life of a bouquet.   

Expected vase life for a variety of blooms that you may grow in your garden;

Please note that cultivar and stage of harvest will also impact vase life. In a later blog post, we will outline the best stage of harvest for your blooms.

Bloom

Expected Vase Life (days)

Allium

14

Daffodils (Narcissus)

3-6

Tulips

3-6

Lilac

5-10

Hyacinths

3-5

Hellebores

10-17

Sunflowers

7-9

Gladiolus

7-10

Lisianthus

10-14

Echinacea

5-21

Foxglove

8-9

Sweet William

9-12

Bleeding Heart

8-17

Delphinium

6-8

Dahlia

4-5

Cosmos

5-9

Zinnias

7-14

Bachelor’s Buttons

7-10

Celosia

10-14

Calendula

5-7

Aster

7-10

Anemone

5-7

Ref: Postharvest Handing of Cut Flowers and Greens.  A Practical Guide ofr Commercial Growers, Wholesalers & Retailers. John Dole, Robert Stamps, Alician Carlson, Iftikar Ahmad, Lane Greer, Judy Laushman.