These Are The Long-Lasting Flowers You Want In Your Fall Bouquet

As the days grow cooler and darker, it can feel like a sweet relief to usher autumn in with its warm, rich, and earthy tones. The golds, reds, and browns around us signal the coming of colder days and cozier times ahead. Whether you have a healthy flower garden full of early fall blooms or you make a trip to your local florist, a beautiful arrangement of flowers can take the sting out of the waning warm days and offer fall decor ideas for you to incorporate. When choosing which flowers to include in an autumn bouquet, you'll want to select those that are proven to last as long as possible when cut, while still offering a stunning array of traditional autumn colors.

While the majority of flowers bloom in the spring and summer, there are still many available for autumn harvest, such as dahlias, sunflowers, and chrysanthemums. Among those, several make wonderful cut flowers for indoor arrangements that should last at least two weeks, if not more, with proper selection and care. You can arrange these fall flowers in any number of combinations while also sprinkling in any other sprigs, twigs, or leafy branches you come across that pair well with these suggestions. Just as every day in fall feels different and unpredictable, every flower bouquet can be unique as well.

The first flower that comes to mind when you think of fall is probably the chrysanthemum. Mums are a beloved autumn staple for good reason. They're a hearty bloom that comes on late in the growing season.  Literally meaning "gold blossoms," chrysanthemums actually come in a wide variety of colors, including several suitable for fall bouquets — such as orange, burgundy, and, of course, the aforementioned gold! If calla lilies are still available in your area, they also make a great long-lasting addition to cut flower arrangements. These trumpet-shaped blooms also grow in many fetching colors representing fall including dark purple, salmon, and some with multi-colored petals.

Dahlias, gerbera daisies, and sunflowers are also excellent choices for an autumnal bouquet with bright, showy petals bursting with color. Dahlias should continue to bloom until the first hard frost, making them an ideal addition to your fall arrangement. Gerbera daisies should also produce throughout fall with nice long stems to add height to your bouquet. 

And we all know the stately sunflower, which can bloom well into October, especially in warmer locations.  While we might automatically think of the bright yellow variety, the 'Velvet Queen' sunflower grows in a rich, rusty orange color ideal for autumn arrangements. And finally, if you can't find any fresh blooms, consider dried florals which can last for months or even years.

If you've wondered how long cut flowers can actually last, it helps to know how and when to cut them and how to care for them once in the vase. As a general rule, it's best to cut the stems for arrangements just as the bud is about to open, which is usually in the morning. Cut the stem of the flower at a 45-degree angle, which will help keep most of it off the bottom of the vase. Remove any leaves that will fall below the water line to prevent spoilage. 

Adding a floral preservative can extend the life of your cut flowers. If you don't have one, it's best just to stick with fresh water. You may have heard that sugar, soda, bleach, or copper coins can be a suitable stand-in for plant food, but research shows that these homemade remedies could actually cause the flowers to wilt sooner. For best results, keep your bouquet out of direct sunlight. Plan to refresh the water every two to three days and remove any dead or decaying material as soon as it appears. Now you're ready to enjoy one last gift from nature before it's all hollies, poinsettias, and mistletoe.