Do you dream of a bouquet that lasts, even after the bloom has faded? Good news: many flowers can be dried, letting you enjoy them for months or even years. But which flowers are best suited to drying? And how do you make sure their colours and shapes are preserved? Read on!
How can you tell if a flower is suitable for drying?
With 3 simple rules of thumb, you can quickly assess whether a flower is suitable for drying:
- Rule 1: woody, sturdy stems are suitable, moist stems are less suitable.
- Suitable as dried flowers: flowers with woody stems (such as Rose and Sunflower) or thin, sturdy stems (such as Gypsophila and Waxflower)
- Less suitable as dried flowers: flowers with a moist stem (such as Narcissus, Tulip and Amaryllis)
- Rule 2: firm petals are suitable, soft/moist petals are less suitable
- Suitable as dried flowers: papery, sturdy petals (such as Helichrysum and Limonium)
- Less suitable as dried flowers: soft, delicate and/or moist petals (such as Lathyrus, Dahlia and Anemone)
- Rule 3: bright colours are suitable, soft pastel shades are less suitable.
- Suitable as dried flowers: flowers with bright colours, such as purple, blue, orange and pink. Bright colours tend to fade less quickly.
- Less suitable as dried flowers: flowers with soft pastel shades.
Which flowers can you dry?
The following flowers (and branches) are best suited to drying:
- Amaranthus
- Blue Thistle
- Celosia
- Craspedia (Billy Button)
- Yarrow
- Angelica
- Eucalyptus
- Cow Parsley
- Gypsophila
- Grasses
- Helichrysum (Strawflower)
- Helipterum
- Hydrangea
- Poppy (Papaver)
- Cornflower
- Lavender
- Limonium
- Nigella (Love-in-a-Mist)
- Physalis (Chinese Lantern)
- Peony
- Rose
- Pussy Willow
- Astrantia
- Sunflower
Blow on a flower before drying it. This helps remove any small insects still on the flower.
How do you dry flowers?
Flowers can be dried in many different ways. The best method depends on the flower, your personal preference and the desired result. For example, do you want to press the flowers flat, or keep their original shape? And would you rather air-dry them or use the oven? Take a look at this article with 5 ways to dry flowers. In this article, we also explain how long it takes for flowers to dry.
Does the flower you want to dry have stamens? Remove them, as stamens often don’t dry well.
Want to learn more about dried flowers?
Can’t get enough of dried flowers? We get it! Discover here how to store dried flowers properly, get started with the 10 best DIYs using dried flowers, or find inspiration in professional dried flower creations, such as this wreath by flower stylist Yoko Negi.
