Your Essential Guide to Long-Lasting, Lush Blooms
Hydrangeas are a summertime favorite—pillowy, elegant, and full of charm. But how do you make them last longer once they’re in a vase? Read on for expert hydrangea care tips that will keep your blooms fresh and fabulous all week long.
Quick Summary
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Why Are Hydrangeas So Thirsty?
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How to Cut Hydrangeas for a Vase
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Should I Remove the Leaves on My Hydrangeas?
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What Kind of Water Is Best for Hydrangeas?
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Where Should I Display Cut Hydrangeas?
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How Often Should I Refresh Water or Trim the Stems?
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How Do I Revive Wilted Hydrangeas?
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Bonus: Common Hydrangea Care Questions
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Where to Buy the Best Hydrangeas in Northern Virginia
Summertime brings hydrangeas! There’s nothing quite like those pillowy flower heads that exude softness, elegance, and cottage-garden charm. The vast variety that hydrangeas offer means that you have so many choices when bringing the cloud-like blooms into your home. This includes the classic mophead varieties, lace-cap, and the cone-shaped panicle types of hydrangeas you often see in yards across the DMV! Here at Mayflowers Floral Studio in Northern Virginia, we keep our coolers stocked with a variety of hydrangeas.
Whether you’ve snipped them from your garden or picked up a few stems from your favorite flower shop (we see you), we’re here to ensure that you get the most out of these blooms. With the right care, you can prevent hydrangeas from wilting and keep them looking fresh for up to a week. Here’s a comprehensive guide to hydrangea care that will help you enjoy your blooms this summer!
Why Are Hydrangeas So Thirsty?
The name says it all. Hydrangeas come from the Greek word hydra, meaning water. These blooms are notoriously thirsty, which means proper hydration is essential from the start.
Pro-tip: If you are cutting hydrangeas from your yard or garden, cut them early in the morning or late in the evening. With the summer heat, cutting hydrangeas in the middle of the day can add unnecessary stress on the flower and make it harder for the blooms to hydrate properly.
How to Cut Hydrangeas for a Vase
Whether you clipped them from your garden or picked up a few stems from Mayflowers Floral Studio in Reston or McLean, the trick to long-lasting hydrangeas is all in the prep.
Before placing them in water, always give your hydrangeas a fresh diagonal cut at a 45° angle. Use sharp, clean shears to maximize water absorption.
Should I Remove the Leaves on My Hydrangeas?
Yes! Leaves submerged in water will rot and introduce bacteria, shortening the vase life of your flowers. Strip away any foliage that falls below the waterline for a cleaner. Leaving leaves in the vase water can shorten the overall lifespan of the bouquet because it releases more bacteria into the water.
With every shipment of flowers we receive at Mayflowers, we take extra care to condition and hydrate the flowers based on their individual needs. Part of this process means stripping away leaves that might be on the stem to ensure long-lasting blooms.
What Kind of Water Is Best for Hydrangeas?
Start with room-temperature water in a clean vase. If you’ve brought home one of Mayflower’s hand-wrapped bouquets, you can use the packet of flower food we include. Flower food typically contains a blend of sugars, pH balancers, and antibacterial agents that help flowers thrive.
DIY Flower Food: 1 tsp sugar + 1 tsp vinegar or bleach + 2 tsp lemon juice per quart of water.
Where Should I Display Cut Hydrangeas?
Keep your arrangement out of direct sunlight and away from drafty vents or heat sources. Where you place cut flowers in your home can affect how long-lasting they will be. A cool, shaded spot will keep your hydrangeas lush and beautiful longer. While most blooming plants can tolerate full sun out in the garden, cut flowers will last longer in a cool, shady place in your home.
How Often Should I Refresh Water or Trim the Stems?
Check your flowers daily. Mist your hydrangea blooms with water for a refreshing perk-up.
If the water looks cloudy or drops below the stem level, it's time for a refill. Every 2–3 days, give the stems a fresh cut and replace the water to prevent bacterial build-up.
Bonus: Observing your flowers gives you a mood and health boost, as this Rutgers University study indicates.
How Do I Revive Wilted Hydrangeas?
If your blooms are drooping, don’t panic! Here's the professional florist hack we swear by at Mayflowers at Reston Town Center. This process can take up to a few hours or might take a day for the flower to fully bounce back.
1. Give stems a fresh cut.
2. Submerge the bottom 2–3 inches of the stem in boiling water.
3. Watch for bubbles rising—this means hydration is happening!
4. Leave them for several hours or overnight until they perk back up.
Important: Use a heat-safe container and avoid submerging delicate petals.
Hydrangeas can be temperamental cut flowers. Often, people complain about how quickly they start to wilt after bringing the blooms home. This is especially true of hydrangeas you find at a grocery store.
The hydrangeas you find at Mayflowers Floral Studio are not the same as what you’ll find at your local grocery store, though. We source our flowers from high-quality growers and farms that grow flowers for quality, not quantity.
Common Hydrangea Care Questions
Q: Should I smash the stem of a hydrangea?
A: No. A clean diagonal cut is more effective. While there is some guidance that smashing the end of a flower stem can help it hydrate better (such as with lilacs), this is not necessary for hydrangeas.
Q: Can I use sugar or vinegar as flower food?
A: Yes! A simple DIY flower food can be made by mixing 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of bleach (or white vinegar), and 2 teaspoons of lemon or lime juice into a quart of water. The sugar feeds the blooms, and the acid and bleach reduce bacteria.
Q: What types of hydrangeas are best for vases?
A: Mophead (Hydrangea macrophylla) and panicle (Hydrangea paniculata) varieties are popular for their sturdy stems and bold blooms. The sturdier the stem, the longer they’ll typically last indoors.
Hydrangeas: Worth Every Drop of Effort
There’s something equal parts elegant and homey when it comes to hydrangeas. They’re fluffy heads of blossoms are lush and soft, making them an excellent bloom to enjoy in your home. While they can be a little finicky (and thirsty), by following these care tips, you can extend their life and enjoy them longer.
Shop Local: Where to Buy the Best Hydrangeas in Northern Virginia
Mayflowers Floral Studio curates only premium hydrangeas sourced from top growers around the world, because quality makes all the difference.
Whether you're styling your home or sending a luxurious gift, our hydrangeas are the ones that actually last.
Visit us in Reston or McLean to handpick your favorites, get advice on how to style your hydrangeas in your home, or get answers to additional care questions.