It's early spring here in Massachusetts which means we are in full tulip season and I'm not complaining! Tulips are beautiful bulb plants that produce the most beautiful colorful flowers. There are numerous varieties (approximately 3,000) including stunning parrot tulips, fringed tulips, lily-flowered tulips, french tulips, and even peony tulips (often called double tulips) which have fluffy petals mimicking their flower arrangement counterpart that we all know and love!
In this post, How to Make Tulips Last Longer: 7 Expert Tips from a Florist, I will share my proven tips from years of being a floral designer to help you get the best out of your cut tulips.
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Quick tips for extending tulip lifespan
For those seeking concise guidance on preserving their tulips' freshness, the following quick tips offer essential insights. Dive into these pointers for immediate solutions, and feel free to explore further for comprehensive details on tulip care.
- Select tulips with closed or tight buds for longer-lasting blooms.
- Remove lower leaves to prevent them from getting mushy underwater.
- Cut tulip stems at an angle every 1-2 days and replace the water to maintain freshness.
- Tulips are phototropic and geotropic, meaning they grow towards light and bend away from gravity, respectively.
- Place tulips in a tall vase to support their stems and minimize drooping.
- Make a small slit under the bloom to reduce the stretch-grow-droop cycle.
- Avoid placing tulips in direct sunlight to prolong their vase life.
With proper care, including attentive watering, strategic placement, and timely maintenance, you can significantly extend the longevity of your tulips, allowing you to savor their exquisite beauty for an extended period.
What to do when you bring cut tulips home (the shortlist to prep)
I'm excited to share about my floral designing career and subsequent knowledge and experience with working with tulips but I know, right now you are looking for the shortlist... the to-do list for when you get home with a bundle of tulips. Here's the step-by-step to get those blooms prepped:
- First, unwrap your tulips from the protective sleeve they came in and lay them on your counter or table. With scissors, remove the rubber band or twine the bundle is wrapped with.
- Fill a vase, bucket, or pitcher of cold water and if your tulips came with flower food, add that to the water. The flower food packet will guide you on the food-to-water ratio.
- Handling one stem at a time, begin by stripping ( peeling ) the bottom leaves only leaving the leaves you want for your design. I recommend leaving at least the top leaves since these pretty green spear-like leaves look beautiful in an arrangement.
- Once the leaves are stripped, take a design knife or a pair of scissors cut the flower stem at a 45-degree angle, and place it immediately in the water.
- Move to the next stem and repeat until all the tulips are in the water.
- If this is their final destination, meaning if your arrangement is done place them in a spot where you can enjoy them. Keep in mind tulips will stretch toward sunlight so if placing them near a window you may need to rotate the vase. Otherwise, place them in a spot with indirect sunlight.
- If you're prepping them and plan to design with them later it is best to keep them in a cool dark space until you are ready to make your flower arrangement. This will help extend their vase life.
About fresh cut tulips
The genus name for tulips is “Tulipa.” It is a Latin derivation of the Persian word “dulband,” which translates to “turban.” Tulip's name refers to the overlapping petals resembling a turban or the fact that Turkish men customarily wore tulips tucked in the folds of their turbans.
Relative to other fresh cut flowers, tulips are generally hardy flowers. They have thick stems and wholesome greens with a relatively compact strong head. Cut tulips can be a little quirky in that they stretch and grow towards light even after they have been cut which in turn can be a bit of a challenge for a designer. However, with a few tips and perhaps some understanding of why they do what they do, you can be prepared to meet their needs and enjoy them for the longest time possible.
My top 7 tips
1. Selecting the best blooms
Head to any floral department in your grocery store or your local florist and you are sure to find the most glorious bundles of tulips for sale. Tulips come in so many different colors and it's hard to know how to choose the best blooms. Here are a few buying tips. Regardless of the variety or color of the flower, it is wise to buy tulips with flower heads that are closed or have tight buds.
Tulips will mature fast ( a couple of days) once you prep them so starting with tight buds is always a good idea. Make sure the petals aren't transparent and that the greens are a healthy bright spring green color. Older blooms will have open blooms that have transparent or curled edges and the tulip leaves will be a dull green.
2. Removing the leaves
Wrapped tulips come with several layers of leaves. It is important to remove the leaves that will be below the water line. The foliage of tulips tends to get mushy underwater turning the water somewhat murky. Tulips love fresh clean water which is easier to achieve and maintain by removing the lower level of greens.
3. Cutting the stems at an angle
You probably hear this tip a lot but do you know why this is recommended? It is simply to make sure the flower stems do not sit flat on the vase resulting in the tulip not being able to pull up water. Simply grab a knife or sharp scissors and cut the bottom of the stem at an angle. Be sure to re-cut tulip stems every 1-2 days and replace the water.
4. Meeting the cut tulip's water needs
Tulips love fresh water and lots of it. They are thirsty flowers so keeping the water level high and the water clean is important for their vase life. If your tulips came with floral preservative add that to the water. If you are trying to open tulips faster consider placing them in warmer water.
Tips for enhancing the longevity of your tulips:
While I haven't personally tried these methods, some suggest they may help.
- Add a penny to the water: Placing a penny in the vase of water can help to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi, thus extending the life of your tulips. Note: only pennies minted before 1982 work effectively, as newer pennies are primarily made of zinc with just a copper coating.
- Add an aspirin: Dissolving an aspirin in the water is believed to lower the pH levels, providing an environment that helps to keep the tulips fresh for a longer period.
- Add a couple of dashes of Sprite: Adding a small amount of Sprite to the water can provide nourishment to the tulips, as the sugar in the beverage serves as a source of energy for the flowers, helping them to stay vibrant and perky.
5. Tips to keep tulips from drooping
Understanding Tulip Movement
Tulips are both phototropic (they will grow and move toward a light source) and geotropic (they bend away from the earth due to the force of gravity). What this means is they have a proclivity to seek out the light source and head in that direction or be stiff and stand up straight! This is until the cut tulip stems soften and the heavy heads pull them down. They seem to go from one extreme to the other.
The Growth Factor
Unlike most flowers, fresh-cut tulips continue to grow in the vase even gaining an inch or more in height. This is highly unusual in the cut flower world! Not only do they grow they also reach for the light. As the days pass the fresh-cut tulip stems can no longer support the heavy blooms and that stiff stem that is reaching for the light is now taking a nosedive.
Prevention Tips
To minimize this from happening consider placing them in a space that gets light from all angles. A tall vase will support the stems and help to keep them from flopping. Perhaps the best way to reduce the stretch, grow, droop cycle is to place a small slit on the stem of the tulip right under the bloom. To do this little trick simply take a sharp knife or a pin and pierce the stem. Do not put the knife through the entire stem just a knick or small hole should work. I recommend doing this as you first place the tulips in water.
6. Where to place your arrangement
If placed in direct sunlight you can expect limited vase life. It is best to place them in a space where they are not subject to too much sun. Tulips love cool temps so when a vase of tulips is situated in a cool place it will last longer.
7. Tips for designing
Let's chat about tulips in floral arrangements! You can design tulips in both a clean vase of cool water or in fresh flower floral foam. Tulips do well in both as long as you keep the vessel filled with water or the foam remains saturated. As mentioned above tulips are very thirsty flowers and for the longest vase life make sure they are well watered!
Depending on your personal style or the special occasion you are designing for tulips can be displayed in a vase of all tulips or mix them with other spring flowers. Tulips are a popular choice for wedding bouquets and could be a beautiful bouquet for your next dinner party!
I hope you enjoyed this How to Make Tulips Last Longer: 7 Expert Tips from a Florist post and found these easy tips helpful! With proper care, you can extend the life of your fresh tulips and enjoy both their beauty and their quirkiness!
Frequently asked questions
Trim stems at an angle, remove excess leaves, use cold water, add flower food, and keep them away from direct sunlight and fruit.
Yes, sugar can extend tulip life by providing energy. Add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar to a quart of water for best results.
Wrap tulips in paper while standing in water, trim stems daily, use a tall vase for support, pierce the neck of the stem right under the flower with a knife or a pin, and keep them in cool water that's changed regularly.
The copper in pennies acts as a natural fungicide and may help keep the water clean. Only pennies minted before 1982 work effectively, as newer pennies are primarily made of zinc with just a copper coating.
For more fresh flower care tips visit:
5 Simple Steps to Mastering Cut Peony Care: In this cut peony care post, discover essential tips and techniques to ensure your beautiful peony blooms last longer.
Tips For Arranging Fresh Cut Matthiola incana (Stock): Discover expert tips for creating stunning arrangements with fresh-cut Matthiola incana, also known as Stock. Learn how to properly condition these fragrant blooms, pair them with complementary flowers, and extend their vase life for long-lasting, aromatic displays that will elevate any space.
This tulip arrangement is one of my go-tos for spring — check out more ideas in my Fresh Flower Design Index.
For more beautiful blooms visit my floral design page where I cover fresh flower design, faux floral design as well as indoor plant design and care! Visit my 8 Must-Have Flower Arranging Supplies for Your Home so you have the tools you need to create beautiful bouquets!
Keep designing friends!
