Maintaining “healthy” Dried Flowers

Admittedly, dried flowers require much less care and handling compared to fresh flowers. Nevertheless, dried flowers still have specific needs to ensure that you and your customers receive the longest possible life from the products.

AVOID MOISTURE In general, high humidity damages most dried and preserved florals. The absorbed moisture in glycerin preserved floras could ooze out of stems and pores—often referred to as weeping—and can drip on rugs, furniture and clothing. In some cases, you can dip the stems in hot melted glue or wax to seal the ends. However, this technique doesn’t work on floras that leak from leaf pores. In very humid climates it might be necessary to seal the surface of these products by spraying them lightly with a matte-finish sealant or a non sticky, non film-forming, firm-hold hairspray. Dried flowers can also absorb moisture causing them to turn limp and brown or moldy in highly humid conditions, so keep them dry.
ROTATE INVENTORY As with any good inventory management, it is wise to rotate your inventory. First in, first out.
SPRAY WITH SEALANT Sealants help deter moisture absorption, and they also reduce the possibility of breakage or shattering if dried flowers are carelessly handled or bumped.
KEEP OUT OF BRIGHT LIGHT Natural colors tend to fade with time, but you can protect and maintain the original colors longer by storing and displaying them in dry locations out of bright sunlight or high intensity lights. When fading does occur and flowers are still in good condition, you can recycle them into “Victorian”-style arrangements, which often have an antiqued, distressed look.