How To Make Cut Anthurium Flowers Last Longer

By Simon Crowther @prestigeflower

Anthuriums are wonderful flowers that you can use in so many different kinds of bouquets.  Their interesting texture and striking color make them suitable to be arranged with other flowers or even on their own with just a bit of foliage as a backdrop.  If you want to send flowers to a friend or loved one (or yourself) and you want to include some anthuriums, there are a number of things that you or the lucky recipient can do in order to make these beauties last longer.

Step 1:

When you receive your flower delivery, the first thing you will want to do is place them in some water so that they don’t become dehydrated.

Step 2:

Prepare your vase with some fresh, clean water and floral food.  Floral food provides the flowers with some extra sugar and nutrients and it also helps control the growth of bacteria in the water.

Step 3:

Trim the flower stems.  It is a good idea for you to do this under water, if possible, as it will reduce the chances of air entering the stems.  Air bubbles in the stems causes an obstruction and makes it more difficult for the stems to absorb water.  When cutting the stems, do so at an angle so that they do not lay flat on the bottom of the vase.  If they are pressed flat against any surface, this will obstruct water absorption.

Step 4:

Place your freshly cut stems into their vase.

Step 5:

Put your bouqet on display in a suitable location.  This means moderate to cooler temperatures and far away from any air conditioners, fans, heaters or anything of the sort.  Cut flowers also need to be kept out of drafts and direct sunlight.  If the vase is positioned in the sun, this will cause a more rapid growth of bacteria in the water and this will cause the flowers to perish sooner rather than later.

Step 6:

Maintain your bouquet by changing the water frequently and, every time you do, add some more floral preserve to the water.  Inspect the bottom of the stems for any signs of bacteria growth.  Trim the stems again, if this is the case and follow the same instructions as above.  If you notice any of them wilting and perishing, they should be removed from the bouquet immediately as the decay of one flower will certainly have a negative impact on the water and the other flowers.

Please, note that anthuriums are similar to many types of orchid in the sense that they last longer as cut flowers if their stems are kept as long as possible.  The shorter the stem, the shorter they will last.  If you find that they are slightly wilted, anthuriums can be revived by submerging them in some warm water for a couple of minutes.  However, this will not work if the plant is wilting because it’s perishing.  It will only act as a way to rehydrate the flower.  For transport purposes, you can purchase some plastic tubes that will fit around the base of the stems (one per stem).  You fill them will some water and, this way, your flowers won’t miss out on any water!