How long do dried flowers last?

According to the majority of flower retailers, dried flowers can last anywhere from one to three years. Depending on the type and treatment, they can have a lifespan that far surpasses what you would expect.

Are dried flowers better than fresh flowers?

Adler sums up the main difference between dried flowers and fresh ones. He says, “Two words: low maintenance.” Succinctly put, if you prefer your flowers to last, then dried flowers are the way to go. They also "have the sustainability factor that fresh flowers can't beat," adds Barton.

What’s the best way to style dried flowers?

Again, Adler weighs in on how to style your flowers, saying, “When I’m fluffing florals, I like to think beyond Grandma’s Gladiolus and keep it to one type of flower in one color in a tight bunch. Personally, I’m partial to peonies.” There are also vases to consider. “I personally love using an oversized vintage vessel and filling it with a monochromatic dried bundle. It is the perfect styling element for an entry console to welcome guests into your home, says Barton.

Can you dry your own flowers?

You can, if you hang them upside down in a dark and dry, well-ventilated area. Keep them out of the direct sunlight to help them retain their color. After two or three weeks, take them down, and spray them with unscented hairspray.

The 11 Best Dried Flowers of 2023

Best Dried Flowers To Beautify Your Home — The Spruce / Brian Kopinski

It can be hard to keep things alive, especially plants. But even if you don’t have the greenest of thumbs, you can still experience the liveliness of flowers in your home. Introducing: dried flowers. Unlike their fake counterparts, these flowers were once fresh flowers that have been preserved through a dehydrating drying method. They come in a variety of types and styles, exuding a rustic charm that will instantly elevate your tablescape or mantel.

Beyond their look, dried flowers can also be a smarter investment than fresh flowers, as they last longer and can carry you through all four seasons. “Mother Nature is the world’s best designer, and with dried flowers, you can admire her handiwork even in the dead of winter,” says designer Jonathan Adler, who likes to use his line of vases for just that. “You can invest in one beautiful bouquet knowing it will surpass the typical two weeks a fresh one lasts," adds Larisa Barton, Owner of Soeur Interiors.

To help you in your search, we researched some of the top dried flower options on the market, considering their style, quality, and preservation methods. Our favorite picks include options from Afloral, Bloomist, Terrain, and more.

In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look for
FAQ
Why Trust The Spruce

Afloral

View On Afloral.com

Afloral is one of the leading producers of artificial flowers, spreading the joy of botanical homes to the masses. Curating a custom and seasonal collection, the retailer offers an abundantly rotating array of dried bouquets to choose from. The mini silver daisies are one of our favorite choices, as they have a dainty look that would pair well with a variety of different vases. We love the light pink color, which is whimsical without being too bold.

Treated with water-based dyes, these flowers are sustainably sourced from a nursery in Japan, aligned with Afloral’s mission to reduce any negative environmental impact. And in case you want more than just flowers, the retailer also sells artificial plants and dried grasses, along with vases and other accessories.

Price at time of publish: $42

_{Material: Daisy | Height: 10-15” | Treatment: Dried and dyed with water-based dyes}

Williams-Sonoma

View On Williams-Sonoma

It makes sense that one of our favorite kitchen and home brands would make some of the best dried flowers out there. Grown without pesticides and herbicides, Williams Sonoma’s dried flowers are picked at their peak and air-dried to retain their beauty.

Great for Valentine’s Day, this pink strawflower bouquet makes for a festive bloom. With caspia strewn into the pink and purple blossoms, the bouquet will last you for up to a year and a half. It's a great gift for a significant other, but it also will add colorful cheer to your home.

Price at time of publish: $25

_{Material: Globe amaranth, natural caspia | Height: 11” | Treatment: Air-dried}

Roxanneâs Dried Flowers

View On Roxannesdriedflowers.com

Based in Pittsburgh, Roxanne’s Dried Flowers has sold everything from dried and live flowers to potpourri and garden accessories for over 25 years. The flowers themselves are sourced from all around the world, reflecting a variety of climates and plant species.

If you gravitate towards caspia, this bright preserved bunch is joyfully eclectic, with an airy and plush look that is sure to uplift your space. We recommend mixing a few colors together and arranging them in a vase to suit your style.

Price at time of publish: $25

_{Material: Caspia | Height: 18-27” | Treatment: Preserved and dyed}

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West Elm

View On West Elm

A home decor staple, West Elm will always be there to fill any empty spaces in your places. Its dried flowers are not to be missed, as it offers a variety of options from bouquets to bundles. Keeping fresh all year round, there’s no care and attention needed at all. The lavender stems are a particularly eye-catching bunch. Green and purple contrast to create a dried flower assortment that gives off a wild effect.

Price at time of publish: $19

_{Material: Lavender | Height: 14” | Treatment: Dried}

The Bouqs Co.

View On Bouqs.com

If you're on the hunt for a dried bouquet, there’s no better place to turn than to The Bouqs Co. The modern floral brand works to provide longer-lasting and responsibly sourced flowers, making shopping for your next favorite bouquet easier than ever.

Pixie is one of our favorite options, a vibrant medley of palms, loofahs, craspedia, and ruscus. Inspired by Tinkerbell, the bouquet is fantastical and radiant, with a fairy-dusted motif that we love.

Price at time of publish: $99

_{Material: Palm, loofah, craspedia, ruscus | Height: N/A | Treatment: Naturally dried}

House of Lilac

View On Houseoflilac.com

Based in Miami, House of Lilac is on a mission to elevate life, starting with its dried flowers. The bouquet connoisseurs are stylistic and artistically driven to follow through on the brand’s intentions; they do so through their thoughtfully arranged assortments.

The blooming array is an elegant display of floral artistry that you can tailor to your own. You can choose from a range of palettes, from romantic to moody. Then you get to pair your pick with a modern or chubby glass vase. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure, but flower style.

Price at time of publish: $30

_{Material: N/A | Height: N/A | Treatment: N/A}

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IdleWild Floral

View On Idlewildfloral.com

What once was a floral wedding studio in 2016 has since become a dried flower metropolis. The husband-and-wife team behind Idle Wild switched focuses during the pandemic when they decided to combat the waste of fresh flowers. Thus, Idle Wild business was born.

The naturally dried Portea Rosettes are one of our favorites from the company, though there are many other options to choose from. Keep them in a vase on their own, or add them to a bouquet; whichever you choose to do, these flowers will add a burnt umber hue to your table.

Price at time of publish: $16

_{Material: Portea rosettes | Height: 5-8” | Treatment: Naturally dried}

Venus Et Fleur

View On Venusetfleur.com

These aren’t traditional dried flowers, but Venus et Fleur’s flowers last just as long as, if not longer than, most. You’ve probably seen the luxury floral arrangements all over social media, and the brand is widely known for its eternity flowers.

Lasting more than a year, eternity flowers are picked at full bloom and undergo a special treatment to ensure that they are preserved immaculately. Following their dehydration, the flowers are soaked in a dye to give them vivid and lively colors.

Price at time of publish: $399

_{Material: Roses | Height: 9” | Treatment: Non-toxic solution, non-allergenic wax, natural oils}

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Bloomist

View On Bloomist.com

Bloomist brings nature to your home with an array of plants, textiles, and other environmentally inspired items. Sourcing artisans from all over the world, Bloomist creates signature collections that connect its community to nature.

If you want some dried flowers that are light and airy, look no further than Bloomist’s bunny tails. You can arrange them in a thin neck glass on their own or add them to an arrangement to add some texture. Either way, bunny tails will be your new favorite floral accessory.

Price at time of publish: $22

_{Material: Bunny tail | Height: 32” | Treatment: Naturally dried}

Terrain

View On Shopterrain.com

Terrain has everything you would need for your garden, from furniture to flourishing blooms. It also has everything you would need to bring your garden into your home, like its dried flowers. Offering your pick of flowers in a preserved manner, you can keep your favorite floral around all year.

If you, like us, are a fan of hydrangeas, Terrain’s preserved bunch is a wonderful choice. Coming in four different colors, you can mix and match to create a blooming bouquet. It makes a great centerpiece, giving a pop of charm to your table.

Price at time of publish: $35

_{Material: Hydrangea | Height: 8” | Treatment: N/A}

Urban Stems

View On Urbanstems.com

Urban Stems has dried flower bouquets that make gifting easy. One of its highlights is its rapid delivery, offering coast-to-coast next-day delivery and same-day delivery in New York City and Washington, D.C. Its one-of-a-kind arrangements are fit for all occasions, and there’s never a lack of options to choose from.

The Sakura is a unique dried bouquet that is reminiscent of cherry blossom trees in a soft wind. The matte pink vase is included, so there's no need to stress about finding the perfect place to hold your delicate arrangement.

Price at time of publish: $65

_{Material: Bunny tails, craspedia, and other natural grasses | Height: 6” with vase | Treatment: Naturally dried}

The Best Flower Subscriptions

Style

When choosing your dried flowers, make sure you consider the style that you want. Some flowers are more boho chic, while others can add a pop of color to tie a room together, like the craspedia billy buttons from Afloral. Barton adds, “There is a certain organic whimsy that dried flowers innately have that fresh flowers don't. They are softer with their muted colors, so they add enough texture without being overwhelming.” Think about that when you select your style.

Type

As with style, you want to think about what kind of dried flowers you are looking for. If you want something to fill in a bouquet, Roxanne’s Dried Flowers has a phalairs that makes for a grassy addition. On the other hand, a bright and bursting flower can attract the focus of a bouquet, much like the IdleWild’s sherbert two tone silver daisies.

Origin

One of the most important things to look for in dried flowers is where they are coming from. As the floral industry is known to have a big environmental footprint, look for brands that are getting their flowers responsibly and ethically. Essentially, you want to find brands that locally source flowers, and ensure they aren’t heat-treated, bleached and chemically hardened, or coated with water-soluble plastic.

FAQ

How long do dried flowers last?

According to the majority of flower retailers, dried flowers can last anywhere from one to three years. Depending on the type and treatment, they can have a lifespan that far surpasses what you would expect.
Are dried flowers better than fresh flowers?

Adler sums up the main difference between dried flowers and fresh ones. He says, “Two words: low maintenance.” Succinctly put, if you prefer your flowers to last, then dried flowers are the way to go. They also "have the sustainability factor that fresh flowers can't beat," adds Barton.
What’s the best way to style dried flowers?

Again, Adler weighs in on how to style your flowers, saying, “When I’m fluffing florals, I like to think beyond Grandma’s Gladiolus and keep it to one type of flower in one color in a tight bunch. Personally, I’m partial to peonies.” There are also vases to consider. “I personally love using an oversized vintage vessel and filling it with a monochromatic dried bundle. It is the perfect styling element for an entry console to welcome guests into your home, says Barton.
Can you dry your own flowers?

You can, if you hang them upside down in a dark and dry, well-ventilated area. Keep them out of the direct sunlight to help them retain their color. After two or three weeks, take them down, and spray them with unscented hairspray.

Gabriela Keiderling is a freelance writer based in New York City, covering fashion, lifestyle, sports, and travel. For this piece, she spent hours researching top dried flowers on the market, considering their styles, origins, and pricepoints. For additional insight, she spoke with American potter and interior decorator Jonathan Adler, as well as Larisa Barton, owner of Soeur Interiors.

You can read more of Gabriela’s work in Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Who What Wear, Travel + Leisure, and more.

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