A fragrant, colorful bouquet of flowers is the all-around perfect gift for any occasion, person, or time of year…for about five days or so. After that, those gorgeous bundles of petals and stems are liable to wilt, fade, and turn into just another thing to clean off the counter. To get the most bang for your bouquet buck, it’s best to stick with long-lasting, hardy arrangements of flowers like chrysanthemums, dahlias, or alstroemeria.
Robust flowers don’t have to be rough around the edges, and it certainly doesn’t mean settling for succulents only. There are plenty of dazzling flowers that can maintain their eye-catching colors and shapes long after the bouquet is first made. Extend the life of your blooms even longer with these handy tips for preserving dried and pressed flowers. Because who doesn’t want a gift that keeps on giving?
Chrysanthemums
Also known as mums or chrysanths, chrysanthemums can last up to two weeks cut in a vase. These firework-like blooms come in a wide range of colors, from sunny yellows to elegant off-whites to rich corals. The Simple Charm Bouquet from ProFlowers features a beautiful spectrum of pinks, peaches, and greens with chrysanthemums, roses, and carnations.
Zinnias
Zinnias’ unique blooms of reds, magentas, and golden yellow can be raised by even the blackest of thumbs. These colorful flowers can be picked straight from the garden and brought inside to add a splash of color to any room, windowsill, or countertop. Follow these helpful tips for keeping cut zinnias looking fresh for longer.
Calla Lillies
Simple, elegant, and perfect for displaying year-round, calla lilies combine the best of hardy and sophisticated florals. The trumpeted blooms of white, orange, pink, and even dark maroon grow among sword-like foliage for a timeless, classy look. Rach DiMare’s So Sweet arrangement from FTD blends muted earth tones, fuchsia calla lilies, and deep red carnations for a breathtaking arrangement sure to delight any lucky recipient.
Amaryllis
Native to South America, Amaryllis is a tropical bulbed flower that is incredibly easy to bring to bloom. These unique blooms come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, including red, white, pink, salmon, orange, freckled, and striped. Once cut, amaryllis will last for up to two weeks in a vase with clean water.
Alstroemeria
Also known as Peruvian Lilies, Alstroemeria is a popular pick for assorted floral arrangements due to their gorgeous array of colors and long lifespan. These exotic blooms are often splattered with dark freckles against dainty petals of brilliant pinks, whites, oranges, and purples. Whether storebought—like this heartwarming Smiles & Sunshine arrangement from ProFlowers—or brought in from the backyard, alstroemeria can be enjoyed in a decorative vase for up to two weeks.
Dahlias
The more dahlias are trimmed, the more they will grow, which is just another example of Mother Nature chef’s kiss killing it. An excuse to keep picking weekly arrangements for the kitchen window? Yes, please, thank you. Similar to chrysanthemums and zinnias, dahlias feature big, bold, and beautiful blooms that range from classic white to deeply saturated pinks and reds. Maintaining a dahlia plant in your home garden allows you to regularly rotate these eye-catching blooms, making up for the fact that they have one of the shorter cut lifespans on this list.
Carnations
With over 300 varieties and 2,000 years of cultivation, carnations have been a long-loved go-to for bouquets, boutonnieres, and decorations all over the world. The natural color of a carnation is purple-pink, but human-made varieties of white, rich red, mauve-blue, and green are widely enjoyed as well. FTD’s Beautiful Spirit Basket nestles delicate, baby pink carnations among roses, Fuji mums, and deep green foliage.
Eryngo
The perfect pick for bohemian, rustic, or cottage-core arrangements, eryngo’s purple blooms and broad foliage has earned it the appropriate name “false purple thistle.” A bit prickly but worth the pokes, eryngo is a durable and unique flower that is a welcome breath of fresh air from floral heavy-hitters more commonly seen cut in vases. The best part? These lovely blooms can last well over two weeks once cut. How’s that for bang for your bouquet?
Orchids
Orchids are highly ornamental flowers with delicate blooms atop long, slender stems. During the Victorian Era, these exotic flowers were only found in the tropics, making orchids a luxurious sign of refined taste. Today, orchids are much more common but still just as alluring. This vibrant Island Time Coral Orchid from ProFlowers comes in a crisp white planter but can be enjoyed cut in a vase from two to four weeks.
Allium
Believe it or not, these decorative blooms are members of the onion and shallot family. There are roughly 700 variants of alliums, from exploding puffs of purple to delicate pink fireworks. While these ornamental blooms won’t naturally put off an oniony smell when cut in a vase, their water will start to take on a similar scent if not changed frequently. Otherwise, these gorgeous and unique flowers can last up to three weeks.
