Do Sugar, Aspirin or a Penny Make Cut Flowers Last Longer

Not really. While sugar provides carbohydrates that can help flowers, it also encourages bacterial growth in vase water. Aspirin and pennies have not been shown to consistently extend the vase life of cut flowers. Your best approach is to use a commercially prepared floral preservative, which contains a balanced combination of sugar, an acidifier, and an antimicrobial agent.

Start with a clean vase, follow the preservative directions, and keep flowers away from heat and direct sunlight. If you can’t find a commercial floral preservative, using that clean vase goes a long way toward keeping flowers fresh.

Further reading from Dr. DelPrince

Dr. DelPrince shared his Mississippi State University Extension publications with us. These are the ones most useful for anyone cutting flowers from their own garden:

• The Professional Florist’s Manual for the Care and Handling of Fresh-Cut Flowers and Foliage
• Using a Knife to Cut Fresh Flowers
• Cut Flower Production: Overview for Mississippi
• Zinnias for the Farmer Florist

Find more of Dr. DelPrince’s guides in the Mississippi State Extension publication library.