There are many perks of incorporating dried flowers into your home decor including their unique beauty, long lifespan, and low-maintenance nature. Here, we break down how to dry flowers with four popular methods, according to experts. Whether you’re curating a whimsical tablescape, adding a pop of color to a coffee table, or creating DIY wall art, dried flowers are an easy way to add a special touch to your space. “Dried florals require almost no upkeep whatsoever, and they are really great for people that don’t want the fuss of fresh flowers or plants,” says Kelsea Olivia, CEO and creative director of East Olivia, a creative agency known for vibrant “forever floral” arrangements.

You can also dry flowers from special events, such as weddings, to preserve a sentimental memory that acts as a timeless keepsake. “After a special event, you have your photos and maybe you’ll have a few little mementos, but it’s just really cool to have the flowers that were there with you,” says Lacie Porta, owner and designer at Framed Florals. The artist works with brides to preserve their flowers, the same blooms from the wedding bouquets they held walking down the aisle and that served as focal points of their decor. “It’s just a cool thing to be able to have something on your wall that doesn’t necessarily scream wedding,” adds Porta. Once displayed, pressed flowers offer a subtle reminder of your special day instead of a more literal expression, such as hung wedding photos and invites.

How to dry flowers: 4 Popular drying methods

Below, find tutorials for different methods of drying flowers, whether you opt to use silica gel or press flowers with heavy books.

This popular drying technique involves hanging flowers upside down to dry over time. It produces florals with straight stems, making it a great option for dried flower bouquets. “It takes longer, but the results are beautiful,” says Kelsie Hayes, founder and CEO of PopupFlorist, an NYC-based lifestyle florist. For the best results, she recommends grouping up to five stems of bigger-head flowers and 10 of smaller-head flowers. You’ll also want to avoid hanging flowers in direct sunlight, since it could fade their color faster.

• Flower scissors
• Twine or rubber bands
• Hangers

• Start with prepping your flowers when they are at peak bloom
• Pluck any leaves off of the flower stems and trim the stems to your desired length
• Choose a dry space with good ventilation to hang the flowers in
• Tie twine at the bottom of the stems or use a rubber band to hang them upside down from hangers (or any similar rack you may have handy)
• Ensure flowers aren’t too close together or touching each other
• Wait between two and three weeks for your blooms to feel dry and brittle before removing them from their hanging spot

Pressing flowers involves creating a press using a heavy object, like a book, and can be a good technique to preserve flowers from a wedding or a special event. Just like it sounds, this method produces flat flowers, which Porta notes have versatility and longevity on their side. “I feel like there’s a lot that you could do with them, and they hold a lot of special meaning, which is my favorite part,” she says.

• Paper towels
• Heavy books

• Gather any heavy books you may have around your home to create a flower press
• Open up the book and place the flowers you want to preserve within it
• Leave a few pages between each flower to distribute the weight and moisture throughout
• Optional: Add an extra layer around the the flower to absorb moisture so that the book pages don’t get ruined (this can be with construction paper, paper towels, tissue paper, or wax paper, but stay away from newspaper or anything with ink that can run)
• Close the book
• Pro tip from Porta: Stack additional heavy books on top of your press for more weight so that the flowers flatten out as much as possible
• Check back after a week or two and feel the flowers to see if they are moist or cold at all (Note: some foliage may take longer to press than others)
• Once your flower is dry and brittle, it’s ready to be removed

This drying technique involves placing your blooms in an oven on low heat. Applying heat to flowers is the fastest way to dry them, making this method handy for when you are on a tight timeline, such as preparing a tablescape for an upcoming event. Heat your oven to 200 degrees, space the flowers out on a baking sheet, and place them inside. While the process usually takes about two hours, you’ll want to check on them after an hour and then keep an eye on them from there to ensure they don’t burn. “It’s a low and slow process,” explains Porta.

• Baking sheet

• Heat your oven to 200 degrees
• Lay the flowers on a baking sheet, leaving proper space between them
• Place the baking sheet inside your heated oven
• Check on the flowers after an hour; if they aren’t brittle feeling, check in on them frequently to prevent burning (this process generally takes up to two hours)

For this method, head to your local craft store and pick up a bag of silica gel—yes, those same beads that come in little packets in your new clothes and accessories. Despite its name, the texture is more similar to sand than jelly. Silica gel is a desiccant, so it will draw out all of the moisture from the flowers, leaving you with a realistic-looking dried floral.

Silica gel is great to have on hand because it can be reactivated after use, adds Porta. If the sand is retaining moisture, put it in the oven to dry it back out, and then you’ll be able to reuse it.

• Silica gel
• Container with lid
• Soft brush
• Pro tip: Pick up a flower drying kit that includes all of the above

• Empty silica gel into a container
• Remove any leaves and trim the stems to your desired length
• Bury flowers in the silica gel, carefully layering the sand between petals (Porta recommends paying close attention to larger blooms, such as peonies, hydrangeas, and carnations)
• Cover the container with its lid
• Allow the mixture to sit for about a week (it can take anywhere from two to seven days for the blooms to become brittle)
• Once flowers are thoroughly dried, remove them from the silica gel and use a dry brush to wipe away any excess sand
• Store silica gel in air-tight packaging for later use

How long does it take for flowers to dry?

Most flower drying methods will take you about two weeks. However, Porta explains that there’s no harm in waiting even longer. “If you can still feel any moisture, then I would put it back, and then a couple of weeks later if it feels papery and dry and almost brittle, then it’s totally depressed and dry,” she explains. She usually waits about six to eight weeks when drying flowers for her clients.

When is the best time to dry flowers?

“If you’re drying flowers inside your home, truly any time of year works to dry flowers,” says Hayes. Just use a dry, shaded area.

However, if possible, try to avoid the summer, says Porta. “Humidity is your worst enemy when it comes to any form of drying flowers,” she explains. “What you’re trying to do with the flowers is draw the moisture out, so if it’s really, really humid, there’s nowhere for that moisture to go and that’s when things start to brown.” To counteract humidity, Porta recommends running your AC.

What are the best types of flowers to dry?

Certain varieties of dried flowers such as lavender, daisies, and baby’s breath may be popular, but experts say the best way to learn which flowers work best for drying is through trial and error. “The fun part about flowers is that there’s never a hard-and-fast answer for some of these things because sometimes flowers will surprise me,” says Porta.

For example, roses can be good for air-drying because they have many petals and a substantial stem. But if they’ve already been used for an event and are on their last leg, the petals can fall off during the drying process. Or, if there is too much moisture between the petals, they can get moldy while pressing. “Sometimes they’re so good, and then other times you just don’t get as lucky,” explains Porta.

Olivia is a fan of drying grasses such as pampas, miscanthus, tropical leaves, and palms. “There are several varieties that dry very well, and some of them curl and twist into really interesting shapes,” she says, adding that alliums dry looking like fireworks. Hayes prefers air-drying strawflower and pressing clematis and anemones.

What makes flowers dry faster?

The microwave method—which speeds up the heat-drying process—is another common technique, but most experts don’t recommend it, especially if you are drying a flower with sentimental value that you want to last. “I personally don’t love using the microwave for pressing flowers because I feel like it speeds it up almost too fast and you just don’t get that natural look,” says Porta. “Sometimes they’ll go in for too long and they’ll come out almost bruised-looking.”

Methods such as pressing and drying flowers yield the most vibrant and realistic-looking results and are generally worth the extra time. “You could leave them for too long really, the longer the better,” says Porta.

Can you dry flowers in a vase?

“I wouldn’t air-dry anything in a vase itself because naturally the stems are going to wilt,” says Porta. This would yield a curved stem, which doesn’t look as visually pleasing and has less longevity. “It just will dry in a wilted position,” Porta explains.

Instead, she recommends using the air-drying method so that gravity is on your side. “Then when you do have them fully dried out, you could put them back in a vase and there’ll be a straight stem instead of the droopy stem,” she explains.

How long do dried flowers last?

Dried flowers can last anywhere from a year to a lifetime as long as you care for them properly. Olivia notes that they should be kept away from direct sunlight or their color may fade faster. Moisture and humidity should also be avoided. “They’ll start to change and look different than they once did, but they’re essentially the same exact flower that they were forever,” adds Porta.

Since dried flowers are brittle and delicate, the best way to expand their lifespan is to avoid handling them, says Porta, adding that pressed flowers may last longer due to their flat nature. Instead, opt to place them in a vase or album, or use them as part of a craft. At Framed Florals, Porta creates wall art using pressed flowers, but you can also preserve their longevity using epoxy resin. Popular DIY craft options range from making your own jewelry to making coasters. Additionally, you can spray-dry flowers with hairspray to preserve their longevity.

How can you create floral arrangements using dried flowers?

Once your flowers are dried, the fun can begin—grab a vase and create your flower arrangement. “Dried flowers can oftentimes be very textured, which can be complimentary to many spaces,” says Olivia. She recommends starting out simple with sculptural stems, such as dried birds of paradise or palms. “You can have as little as three to five stems of these kinds of items and still make a big statement,” she explains.

If you’re using more flowers, Hayes says to start off by building the shape of your arrangement with filler florals. Create a rounded or organic shape, then add in other stems to build out the bouquet from there. “When arranging in your hand, always hold the bouquet towards the bottom of the stems so it’s not too bunched together, allowing the delicate flowers to breathe,” explains Hayes. Start with at least three different varieties of florals and varying stem heights to add dimension and interest to the arrangement.

Since dry flowers don’t need to touch the bottom of the vase like in a typical bouquet, there’s more freedom for you to be creative with your design, adds Olivia. If using a low vase with a larger opening, she recommends using a bit of chicken wire to create a structure to help the stems stay put. But this only works if you’re using a solid vase—otherwise the wire will show through, she adds.

What other uses do dried flowers have?

There are endless possibilities when it comes to dried flowers, whether you’re using them around your home or for a DIY craft project with epoxy resin. You can put dry flowers in centerpieces, greeting cards, candles, and wreaths. Dried flower heads can also be used in potpourri. Or you can hide pressed flowers in the pages of a book and stumble upon them years later, says Porta. Pressed flowers can also be added to your wedding album or scrapbook.

However, dried flowers aren’t limited to being used in home decor. They also make lovely garnishes for cocktails and cakes. Just be sure that you aren’t using a flower that has been treated with pesticides, says Olivia.

Now that you’ve mastered the art of drying flowers, it’s time to gather your family and friends around a table adorned with dried bouquets and raise a glass—with a dry floral garnish, of course.