Reference List of Materials and Methods in Drying Flowers
The following flowers are those which to our knowledge dry well.
There will be many other satisfactory flowers in different localities.
You not only will find pleasure in experimenting for yourselves but will
doubtless make some interesting discoveries.
Key to abbreviations
- H. Hanging Method
- S & C. Surrounding and covering method
- Recommended variety (R)
- Acacia: Tree, dries easily and beautifully. S & C
- Baby's Breath: Perennial. H. Easily dried and very useful
- Bells of Ireland: Annual. H. Holds shape best if cut after most
of the small white flowers in center of bells have bloomed.
- Black-eyed Susan: Field flower. S & C. Face down.
- Blue Sage: (Salvia) Annual. H. Cut in fall when color is
deepest.
- Butterfly Bush: (Buddleia) S & C. Horizontal.
- Camelia: Shrub. S & C. Face up.
- Chives: Perennial herb. H. Silver-lavender flowers.
- Chrysanthemum: Perennial. H. or S & C. Clear yellow dries best.
- Christmas Rose: (Helleborus niger) Perennial. S & C.
Silica gel recommended. Face up
- Clematis: Vine. S & C. R: "Lawsonia" or "Ramona" or "Paniculata"
face up.
- Cocksomb: (Celosia) Annual. H. Crimson, rose, and pink. Crested
or plumed.
- Daffodil: Bulb. S & C.
- Dahlia: Annual or tuber. S & C.
- Delphinium: Perennial. S & C. Dry individual florets, face up
- Dock: Field flower. Hang or dry in upright position for graceful
curves.
- Dogwood: Tree. S & C. Protect from summer humidity. Face
up or down
- Feverfew: Perennial. S & C. Dry white varieties over heat to
retain whiteness of petals. Silica gel recommended. Face down
- Gladiolus: Bulb. S & C. Silica gel (face up)
- Globe Amaranth: Annual. H. Easily dried.
- Globe Thistle: Perennial. H. Cut when green or just after the
first tinge of blue shows before buds open.
- Goldenrod: Field flower. H. Gather when about three-fourths of
the florets have opened. It is important to cut at the right time.
- Gloriosa Daisy: Perennial. S & C. Face down.
- Hollyhock: Perennial. S & C. Exceptionally lovely. Single blooms
are easily dried face-down.
- Hydrangea, Blue: (Hydrangea hortensis) Shrub. H. Valuable for
its color.
- Hydrangea: Shrub. H. Cut flowers after they have fully matured
when green or rose-pink. Green, especially desirable.
- Joe-Pye Weed: Field flower. H. Cut when buds have reached height
of color but before they begin to open.
- Knotweed: (Polygonum) Weedy shrub. H. Cut when it turns crimson.
- Larkspur: Annual. All colors. S & C
- Marigold: Annual. S & C.
- Mexican Sunflower: (Tithonia) Annual. S & C.
- Pansy and Viola: Annual. S & C. face up.
- Pearly Everlasting or Immortelle: Field flower. H. Gather just
before buds begin to open.
- Orchid: Perennial. S & C.
- Peony: Perennial: S & C.
- Phlox: Annual or perennial. S & C. Silica gel recommended.
- Pussy Willow: Shrub H. Cut when catkins are well formed.
- Queen Anne's Lace: Field flower. S & C.
- Rose: Shrub. H. or S & C. Attractive when dried hanging.
- Statice: Annual. H. All colors good; white very pure.
- Strawflower: Annual. H. Pick when buds are one third open.
- Snow-on-the-Mountain: (Euphorbia) Annual. Sows itself
prolifically.
- Verbeba: Annual. S & C. Silica gel recommended. Face down.
- Yarrow: Perennial. H. Yellow varieties especially good.
- Veronica: Perennial S & C. (R) "Icicle"
- Zinnia: Zinnia Annual. S & C. Clear colors dry best.
Foliage
- Artemisia: Perennial. H. R.: Cut in fall when tiny
inconspicuous flowers are in bloom.
- Beech: (Fagus granddiflora) Tree. Most useful, either green
or with autumn coloring of gold. Glycerin solution.
- Boxwood: Shrub. Very attractive. Golden yellow when dried in
glycerin solution.
- Eucalyptus: H. small-leaved varieties. Can be bought at
florist shops.
- Ferns: (R) Press between pages of magazines.
- Honeysuckle: (winter) (R) "Lonicera Fragrantissima.
- Ivy Leaves: Soak in glycerin solution.
- Magnolia Grandiflora: Tree. When dried between magazine
pages.
- Maple, Red: Tree. Leaves with fall coloring are good source
of red for arrangement. Press.
- Mullein: Field flower. Foliage is lovely soft green. Dry
rosettes. S & C. Face up
- Periwinkle or Trailing Myrtle: (Vinca Minor) S & C.
- Salal: From Canada and Alaska. Can be bought at florists.
Soft light green. S & C.
- Scotch Broom: H. Wrap with soft wire for desired curves.
- Sumac: Shrub. Red foliage dried in autumn will retain red
coloring.
Seed pods, berries, and grasses
These add interest and variety to dried arrangements. Many
beautiful pods, berries, and grasses which do not grow in your
locality may be purchased from florist.
Berries (h.for all)
- Bittersweet: Vine. Follow state conservation
restrictions.
- Bush Cranberry: Shrub.
- Blackberry Lily: Perennial
- Nandina: Shrub.
- Privet: Berries may be dried when green or dark blue.
- Sumac: Shrub. Cut when fruit heads are green or when
they first turn red.
- Violet Jewel Berry: (Callicarpa purpurea) Shrub.
Seed pods (h. for all)
- Chinese Lantern: Perennial. Pods dry orange-red.
- Hardy Blue Spirea: (Caryopteris) Shrub. Cut as soon
as small blue florets have fallen. Dries a lovely soft
green.
- Honesty or Money Plant: (Lunaria annua) Biennal.
When pod is dry, carefully peel off outside layers.
- Milkweed: Field flower. Cut pod when green, as soon
as it is fully formed.
- Poppy: Perennial. Cut when green.
- Yucca. Perennial. Cut when green, will turn yellow.
Grasses and other materials (h. for all)
Bearded Barley, Cat-tail, Corn Tassels, Marsh Grass,
Peppergrass, Quakergrass, Sea-oats, Sugar Cane, etc.
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