From the best angle to trim stems to the optimum water temperature for perkiness, we’ve done our research when it comes to keeping cut flowers alive. But the question remains: Which blooms actually give you the best bang for your buck? Here are our suggestions for Long-Lasting Flowers You Can Buy at The Grocery Store and How to Care for Them. Next time you treat yourself to a bouquet at checkout, we highly suggest grabbing one of these six beautiful and long-lasting flower varieties—all of which have an impressive vase life of two to four weeks.
Alstroemeria: 2 Weeks
You’ve probably seen these guys for years…and now you know their name. The speckled, trumpet-shaped blooms will last up to 14 days when given fresh water daily (they’re big drinkers, so don’t skimp). A word to the wise: The green leaves on the alstroemeria stem will turn yellow and wilt well before the flowers themselves finish blooming. So simply pluck off the browning leaves as they appear, and continue to enjoy your colorful florals for days, even weeks, afterward.
Cut Lilies: 2 Weeks
When purchased fresh, fragrant lilies often take a week before the tight buds even open. It’s also not uncommon for one bud to burst open, but another on the same stem to take an additional five to ten days to show its colors. The result? A bouquet that’s elegant, always evolving, and best of all, super long-lasting.
P.S. Be sure to remove messy pollen pods and place your lilies out of direct sunlight for maximum life extension.
Carnations: 3 Weeks
Carnations get a bad rap for being “cheap,” but honestly what’s not to love? They’re cheerful, wallet-friendly, come in every color under the sun and look super chic when cut short and arranged simply. Oh, and did we mention they last a whopping three weeks? Just remember to remove any petals or leaves that hit at water level or below, and to freshen their H2O supply regularly.
Allium: 2-3 Weeks
Don’t these purple orbs make you happy just looking at ’em? Good news—the voluminous sculptural blooms last between two and three weeks when cared for properly. Very important note:
You may not see alliums as often as some other cut flowers, but they come in several different colors and are a great choice for a bouquet. They have long, stiff stems that won’t flop over in a vase, and since they grow so tall (some varieties stretch up to 4 feet), they’re easy to cut to any height you want.
Most will last 2-3 weeks in a vase as long as you regularly change the water. Also known as ornamental onions, these flowers’ cut stems can smell a little like scallions, so if you leave them in the same water for too long, you might start to notice the odor.
Zinnias: 2 Weeks
Don’t these purple orbs make you happy just looking at ’em? Good news—the voluminous sculptural blooms last between two and three weeks when cared for properly. Very important note: They’re actually from the same family as onions, shallots and leeks, and their water can start to smell like it if you don’t refresh frequently.
Chrysanthemum: 4 Weeks
These ubiquitous blooms are by far the best value for a dollar spent: They last a whole 25 to 30 days. To keep them fresher longer, opt for chrysanthemums with nice long stems, and trim those suckers every few days.
There’s nothing nicer than a fresh-cut bouquet of flowers so I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog posting as much as I have enjoyed writing it. If you look after your flowers you can almost double their vase life. Having said that, I’ll leave you with a video (right) that gives some helpful tips on how to make cut flowers last longer.
I hope you enjoyed this posting, Long-Lasting Flowers You Can Buy at The Grocery Store and How to Care for Them. We’d love to hear your comments so if you have suggestions, like the post, or just want to say hi, the comment box is on the right-hand side. Also, I’ve placed a few Pinterest Pins throughout the post. You’d make our day if you shared them with your Pinterest Friends.
Till next time …. Joy
