How Long Do Cut Flowers Last in a Vase?A question we get asked a lot at Same Day Flower Delivery (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 vibrant 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

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.