Can the Temperature Affect the Longevity of Cut Flowers?

by | Apr 24, 2023 | Tips

spring-flowers-pink-vase-poppy-belle-durham-nc

Absolutely. We provide care instructions with all our custom floral arrangement deliveries, including when someone picks up blooms for their event. These instructions include the recommendation to keep flowers away from windows and air vents. Why? Placing your flowers in the sun, a hot room, or near a heat source will cause the flowers’ moisture to evaporate faster than they’re able to drink more water. This causes the blooms to dry out and wilt. How to protect your luxurious investment? (Yes, luxurious because we don’t actually neeeeed cut flowers. ;-))

  • One defense against heat is to give them plenty of water to drink, especially if your home is warmer while you’re away at work, etc.
  • The warmth also increases the rate at which bacteria grows, so changing the water frequently is a must. We recommend daily or at least every other day.
  • If your blooms are in only water, then lift them from the vase and give them a fresh diagonal cut which gives them a fresh clean ‘straw’ to drink through, increasing the amount they can absorb.
  • If you must have them near light during the day, put them in a dark shady cool spot at night.
  • Some blooms are more tolerant of the heat than others – tropicals, cacti, air plants, & succulents, obviously are good choices if you know your blooms may not get the attention described above. If you like to shop locally, zinnias love love love the heat here in NC – both while growing and once they’re cut.

In a nutshell, treat your cut flowers in the same manner you treat yourself when it’s too warm. We all need a little more love when the temps begin to rise!

Engaged couples often ask what blooms will last longer when they’re most definitely going to be out in the summer heat on wedding day. While there are no cut blooms that will survive a nuclear bomb (except maybe carnations? haha), there are some that hold up better than others. In addition to the aforementioned, we also recommend mums, roses, lisianthus, hypericum berries, star of bethlehem, marigolds, and others. Want to leave it to us, your Durham based professional wedding florist, who will know how to treat them in the days prior and day of? Contact us today for a consultation: www.poppybellefloraldesign.com/contact