How Long Do Cut Flowers Last in a Vase?

How Long Do Roses Last? Roses, when freshly cut and properly cared for, can last anywhere from one week to two weeks. The longevity of roses depends on factors such as the variety of the rose, the freshness of the flowers when cut, and the care they receive. To extend their lifespan, it’s essential to keep them in a clean vase with fresh water, trim their stems at an angle, remove any submerged leaves, and keep them away from direct sunlight and drafts. Regularly changing the water and adding floral preservative can further enhance their longevity.

A question we get asked a lot a FloraQueen (and for good reason as it’s an important one) is how long do cut flowers last in a vase? Now of course every flower is a little different and each bouquet has its own characteristics but how long reasonably should your fresh flowers last?

Everyone always wants their bouquet to stay fresh and bountiful indefinitely. However like all good things, cut flowers don’t last forever. So what we’ve prepared are some helpful tips for understanding how long your flowers will remain at their best in the vase before nature takes effect.

To give you a bit of a clearer guide we’ve broken down different types of common cut flowers into separate categories of their maximum longevity. This way you can easily give yourself a reasonable window for the how long the flowers in your bouquet should last or even if you want to arrange your own bouquet at home.

Up to 1 week

• Tulips
• Daisies
• Iris
• Poppies
• Sweet Peas

1 – 1 and Half Weeks

• Gladiolas
• Hydrangeas
• Freesia
• Lilies
• Roses
• Solidago
• Peonies
• Dahlia
• Sunflowers

1-2 weeks

• Alstroemeria
• Gerberas
• Bird of Paradise

2 weeks +

• Carnations
• Hypericum
• Chrysanthemums

As you can see from the flowers we’ve listed the majority last about 1 week in the vase before they’ll start losing their freshness. Also many of the flowers that last a week or longer are the usual suspects of flower bouquets like roses, lilies, gerberas etc and that is no surprise as it is almost certainly the reason for their commercial success and use by experienced florists.

If you feel up to the challenge though, there are lots of things that you can do to ensure that your bouquet will last longer than its own natural sell-by-date.

Our top tips for keeping your bouquet bright and fresh for longer are:

• Re cut the stems every day with clean scissors
• Change the water daily
• Keep the flowers in a cool area out of direct sunlight
• Use plant food or add a little sugar to the vase
• Keep leaves out of the water where possible
• Make sure the water remains sterile by adding a tiny amount of bleach or even alcohol like vodka.

So as you can see if you pick your flowers carefully and follow just a few simple steps, you’ll be able to enjoy your bouquet for the longest possible time.

FloraQueen delivers flowers to over 100 countries worldwide. Working with expert florists in cities globally we are able to guarantee your bouquet will remain fresh for up to 7 days. Sending international flowers has never been easier and it only takes a couple of clicks.