Want to take a bunch of flowers to a birthday, housewarming or event, but the bouquet still has a car or train journey ahead of it? No problem! Flowers can easily go without water for a while, as long as you transport them the right way. With these tips, your flowers will stay strong and beautiful on the journey.
Can flowers go without water?
Yes, cut flowers can temporarily go without water. Exactly how long depends on the type of flower, the temperature and the conditions during transport. Most cut flowers can go for a few hours without water. Some hardy flowers, such as Anthurium and Sunflower, can last even longer.
How long flowers can go without water depends on the type of flower, the temperature and the conditions during transport.
How to transport flowers without water: 5 tips
- Keep the stems cool: flower stems provide the flowers with moisture. Temporarily wrap the bottoms of the stems in damp kitchen roll. You can also wrap a piece of aluminium foil around them to help retain the moisture and keep the kitchen roll in place.
- Keep the flowers cool: cut flowers don’t cope well with too much heat. So don’t leave a bouquet in a warm car for longer than necessary, especially in summer. Ideally, transport flowers in the coolest spot available.
- Support the bouquet: wrap the bouquet in sturdy paper to give it some extra support. This helps keep the stems straight and protects the flower heads from knocks during transport. Didn’t get sturdy paper from the florist? Strong wrapping paper works too.
- Avoid draughts: it’s not just heat that can cause flowers to dry out more quickly. Draughts can too. Make sure cold air from the air conditioning or wind from an open car window isn’t blowing directly onto the bouquet.
- Use a transport box: got a long journey ahead and want to do things properly? Special transport boxes for flowers are available. These boxes offer extra protection and help prevent flowers from shifting or becoming damaged.
Can you take a bucket with you, for example in the passenger footwell? If so, it’s best to transport your bouquet in a bucket with a small amount of water.
Transporting a single flower
Want to transport one flower or just a few individual stems? Use a water tube, which you can get from a florist. This small plastic tube, filled with water, slips over the bottom of the stem. This mini vase keeps the flower hydrated on the journey. Water tubes are also often used at funerals or memorials, where guests are asked to bring a single flower.
Transporting a single stem? Use a water tube! This mini vase keeps your flower hydrated on the journey.
Reached your destination?
Once you arrive at your destination, help the flowers recover quickly with these tips:
- Cut the stems at an angle using a sharp, clean knife.
- Remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline in the vase.
- Place the bouquet in a clean vase with some fresh water.
- Add cut flower food if you like, to help the flowers last longer.
- Put the bouquet somewhere cool, away from draughts and not next to a fruit bowl, as ripening fruit releases ethylene gas, which causes flowers to wilt more quickly.
More inspiration
Looking for more handy flower tips? Discover the basic rules and tips for keeping your flowers looking beautiful in a vase for as long as possible. Also worth a look: get inspired to create your ultimate bouquet with our free online selection tool, Florify.
Sabina
Redacteur
Sabina combineert haar passie voor bloemen en planten met een talent voor schrijven. Ze vertelt verhalen over hoe groen je huis verrijkt - van weelderige kamerplanten tot expressieve boeketten. Haar tips zijn praktisch en sfeervol, met een creatieve twist. Ze gelooft dat groen niet alleen je huis, maar ook je humeur opfleurt - en daar schrijft ze met liefde over.
