Receiving a beautiful bouquet of flowers is one of the greatest gifts anyone can get, so, naturally, we want to do anything we can to make our fabulous blooms last as long as possible. Following flower care advice you heard while growing up, or information you found on the internet could do more harm than good to your fresh blooms. The flower experts here at Boyd’s Flowers are setting the record straight for you. To keep your flowers fresh for as long as possible, we’re debunking some of the more common flower care myths we’ve come across. Keep reading to discover what you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to caring for your precious blooms.

Common Flower Care Myths to Avoid

Myth #1Putting a Penny in the Bottom of the Vase Keeps Flowers from Wilting

Copper is often celebrated as a natural fungicide that has the ability to increase the vase life of healthy, thriving blooms. However, your lucky penny or spare change may not be the best way to add copper to your vase water. Not only are pennies no longer made mostly of copper, but they also carry a wealth of germs and bacteria that can actually do more harm than good to your flowers.

Myth #2Sugar or Lemonade Can Be Used as Flower Flood for Your Cut Stems

Ditch the sugar, lemonade, vodka, and aspirin, and collect a few little packets of flower food from your local florist. Household items or homemade concoctions will increase bacteria growth inside your vase of flowers and have very little effect on the beauty and growth of the blooms themselves. As a result, you will create a floral bouquet with a short vase life and blooms that wilt prematurely.

Myth #3Lilies Will Die if You Remove the Anthers

This flower myth is not only false but some florists encourage the removal of a lily’s anthers when displaying the bloom in your home. Anthers are the long parts of the lily that protrude from the center and produce loose pollen. This loose pollen not only makes a mess on counters and floors but proves to be toxic to pets and aggravates those who suffer from allergies. When removing a lily’s anthers, be sure to do so carefully and wash your hands afterward.

Myth #4Removing a Rose’s Guard Petals Will Make it Die Quicker

This myth is most likely based on the assumption that pulling petals off of any flower will kill it. However, guard petals on a rose are unlike any other petal and we encourage their removal before placing the rose in an arrangement. Guard petals take the brunt of all physical damage in order to save the bloom that lies underneath. Therefore, guard petals are usually torn, discolored, etc. and by removing them you are uncovering a truly brilliant and gorgeous rose.

Myth #5Fresh-Cut Flowers Prefer a Sunny Location

It just makes sense that flowers would need a lot of clean water and sunlight to thrive. However, fresh-cut flowers require a different care routine than those in pots of soil or gardens. The myth that a vase of flowers craves direct sunlight is definitely a myth. Bouquets and arrangements will actually be done a disservice when displayed in a warm sunny spot, as the sun encourages full blooms and rapid vase life.

Bonus MythBananas Kill Flowers

This is the only myth on our list that is surprisingly not a myth at all but is true. Bananas and other fruit emit ethylene gas during their ripening process. Ethylene gas is pretty poisonous to flowers, which means that bananas do have the ability to kill your favorite blooms. So, be sure that your fruit bowls and flower vases are not too close to each other.

Forget all the old wives’ tales and internet myths about caring for flowers. The task is really quite simple. To keep your fresh-cut flowers healthy and vibrant for as long as possible, follow these simple steps:

1. Remove any leaves and petals which fall below the waterline.
2. Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle with each change of water.
3. Change the water daily for the best results.
4. Only use the packet of flower food from the florist.
5. Keep flowers out of direct sunlight.

For more detailed information on how to care for flowers, visit our Flower Care Page.

Cut flowers that are cared for properly can last up to 10-12 days, so go ahead and brighten your home and your spirits with a beautiful arrangement of fresh blooms today.