Sunflowers are bright and sunny, and they add a pop of color to any room—even when they’re dried. Dried sunflowers make great decorations and gifts, and it’s easy to preserve them at home. Want in on the secret? Keep reading! We interviewed florist Pilar Zúñiga to teach you all the best ways to dry a sunflower, including hanging it upside down, using silica gel, or heating it in the microwave or oven. Plus, learn how to dry sunflower petals and seeds, how to choose the best sunflower for drying, and what you can do with your dried sunflowers.
How to Preserve a Sunflower
Cut the sunflower’s stem to about 6 in (15 cm) long and tie a piece of twine around the bottom. Hang the flower upside down in a dark, dry place for 2-3 weeks. When the petals are crisp and stiff, the flower is completely dry and ready to be taken down. Coat it with an even layer of hairspray to preserve the color.
Steps
Best Way to Dry Sunflowers
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Cut the sunflower’s stem down to about 6 inches (15 centimetres). Sunflowers have long stems, so it’s easier to dry them if you trim the stem down to about 6 inches (15 centimetres) in length. Be careful not to cut the stem too short, however, as you need enough length to tie the flowers together. Remove any dead leaves around the head of the sunflower, as well. [1] X Trustworthy Source University of Missouri Extension University of Missouri program dedicated to research-based, practical public education Go to source
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Hang the flowers upside down in a dark, dry place. Tie yarn or kitchen twine around the bottom of the stem; if you’re drying multiple sunflowers, bundle them in groups of three without letting the heads touch. Pick a dark, dry place to hang them, such as an unused cabinet, closet, or attic. Use a wire hanger, stick, or hook to hang them upside down. [2] X Research source
- Zúñiga says if the flowers touch, “There isn't air circulation over the entire flower head, [and] you could end up with a little bit of mold growing in there. So I think that's something that you want to stay away from, [as] it doesn't smell good and it's not good for your health.” [3]
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Expert Source
Pilar Zuniga
Floral Designer & Owner, Gorgeous and Green Expert Interview. 12 March 2020. - Zúñiga recommends drying the flowers upside down because it “[allows] gravity to pull the petals and wick [the] moisture out. If there are any drops of water inside, it's going to pull that water out of the petals rather than have it all sit inside the head of the flower and rot. That's why drying upside down is important.” [4]
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Expert Source
Pilar Zuniga
Floral Designer & Owner, Gorgeous and Green Expert Interview. 12 March 2020.
Advertisement - Zúñiga says if the flowers touch, “There isn't air circulation over the entire flower head, [and] you could end up with a little bit of mold growing in there. So I think that's something that you want to stay away from, [as] it doesn't smell good and it's not good for your health.” [3]
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Expert Source
Pilar Zuniga
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Let the flowers dry for at least 2 weeks. Leave the flowers undisturbed for about 2 weeks, then check to see if they’re dry. The petals should feel crisp and stiff. If they’re completely dry, cut the twine and pull them out of the closet, being careful not to break off any petals. [5] X Research source
- Depending on the size of the sunflowers, they may take as long as 3 weeks to dry completely. If they aren’t completely dry, leave them hanging for a little longer.
- Zúñiga says it’s important to keep the flowers out of the sun if you want them to remain bright yellow: “The sun will just leech out all the color, unless you're [going] for that look. It can make [the flowers] more brittle, and you lose your color variation that way.” [6]
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Expert Source
Pilar Zuniga
Floral Designer & Owner, Gorgeous and Green Expert Interview. 12 March 2020. If you're aiming for a sepia-toned flower, leaving them in the sun may help you achieve this look.
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Coat the sunflowers with hairspray to preserve them. In general, the sunflowers should be well-preserved once they’ve dried completely, but most flowers still lose their color over time. To help preserve the color and shape, spray the sunflowers evenly with a coat of hairspray. [7] X Research source
How to Dry Sunflower Seeds
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Allow the sunflowers to mature in the ground. As long as the weather is still warm and dry, let the sunflowers reach full maturity while still growing. If possible, do not cut the flower heads off before the back turns yellow-brown. Ideally, wait until the sunflower loses its petals and the head droops. [14] X Research source
- If the sunflower starts to droop, tie the flower head to a stake to keep the plant upright. The head will become heavier as it droops, and the plant will begin to weaken under its own weight.
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Protect the seeds from birds with cheesecloth. After the flower starts to droop, wrap cheesecloth or a paper bag around the sunflower heads and tie it on with kitchen twine. This will help protect the seeds from birds and squirrels , and it will also catch seeds that fall off. [15] X Trustworthy Source National Center for Home Food Preservation Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food Go to source
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Alternatively, cut and hang the flower heads to dry. If you need to cut the flower heads off early due to pests or climate, cut off about 1 foot (30 centimetres) of the stem along with the head, and hang the plants upside down inside to dry until the back of the flower head turns completely brown. [16] X Trustworthy Source University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension program of the University of California system devoted to educating and improving local communities Go to source
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Remove the seeds once the sunflowers are completely dry. This will likely take several weeks. Once the flowers have completely dried, remove the seeds by brushing them off with your fingers, a stiff brush, or a fork. Remove the seeds over a bowl or bucket so you can easily collect them. [17] X Research source
- If you have multiple sunflowers, you can also remove the seeds by rubbing two sunflower heads together.
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Prepare the sunflower seeds for eating. Mix a cup of salt into a gallon of water. Pick through the seeds to remove any flower or extra plant bits, then pour them into the water. Soak them for at least 8 hours, then strain them and spread them out on a pan. Place the seeds in a 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163 degrees Celsius) oven and let them bake for 25-30 minutes. [18] X Research source
- Put the sunflower seeds in an airtight container, then stick them in the freezer to store them for up to a year.
- If you’re saving the seeds to plant rather than eat, skip this step and simply store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to plant them.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWill my sunflowers look the same after I dry them out?Lana Starr is a Certified Floral Designer and the Owner of Dream Flowers, a floral design studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dream Flowers specializes in events, weddings, celebrations, and corporate events. Lana has over 14 years of experience in the floral industry and her work has been featured in floral books and magazines such as International Floral Art, Fusion Flowers, Florist Review, and Nacre. Lana is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) since 2016 and is a California Certified Floral Designer (CCF) since 2012.Unfortunately, no. When you dry a flower out, it's almost certainly going to shrink. It may end up being half of its original size when you're done. The color is also going to be a little washed out as well; those bright yellow leaves are unlikely to stay yellow when you're done.
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QuestionHow do I preserve a sunflower I bought in a store?Community AnswerUse the method above. It should work the same for store bought or home grown sunflowers.
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QuestionDoes silica gel work with sunflowers?Community AnswerCardboard works well, as it provides good air circulation. If you choose to dry the sunflower with silica gel, put the gel in an airtight container with a secure lid. Otherwise, the gel absorbs moisture from the air instead of the flower and the drying time is extended.
Video
Tips
- If you happen to have access to a freeze dry machine, freeze drying sunflowers is another way to preserve their petals and color.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6540
- ↑ https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/article/1998/7-10-1998/dryflower.html
- ↑ Pilar Zuniga. Floral Designer & Owner, Gorgeous and Green. Expert Interview. 12 March 2020.
- ↑ Pilar Zuniga. Floral Designer & Owner, Gorgeous and Green. Expert Interview. 12 March 2020.
- ↑ https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/article/1998/7-10-1998/dryflower.html
- ↑ Pilar Zuniga. Floral Designer & Owner, Gorgeous and Green. Expert Interview. 12 March 2020.
- ↑ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/keep-flowers-alive-longer-hairspray-tip-261306
- ↑ https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/1998/7-10-1998/dryflower.html
- ↑ https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/drying-flowers/
- ↑ https://www.southernliving.com/how-to-preserve-flowers-7972018#toc-how-to-preserve-flowers-using-the-oven
- ↑ https://marxfood.com/how-to-dehydrate-edible-flowers/
- ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6540
- ↑ https://youtu.be/PL1kpo8Hg3c?t=138
- ↑ https://schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/resources/info-sheet/sunflower-growing
- ↑ https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/dry/recipes/sunflower-seeds/
- ↑ https://ucanr.edu/sites/camasterfoodpreservers/files/337995.pdf
- ↑ https://schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/resources/info-sheet/sunflower-growing
- ↑ https://www.almanac.com/plant/sunflowers?page=1&ref=binfind.com%2Fweb
- ↑ https://publications.ca.uky.edu/files/ho70.pdf
- ↑ https://www.extension.iastate.edu/plymouth/files/documents/Harvesting%26DryingFlowers.pdf
- ↑ https://aggie-hort.tamu.edu/plantanswers/misc/dryflrs.html
About This Article
To dry sunflowers for seeds, let them mature and dry out in the ground if possible, or cut them 1 foot below the flower heads and dry them indoors if you're worried about pests or bad weather. If you dry them in the ground, protect the seeds from birds by wrapping cheesecloth or paper bags around the flowers’ heads once they begin to droop and die. Once the flowers have completely dried, remove the seeds by brushing them off with your fingers or a stiff brush. To learn how to dry sunflowers for decorating, keep reading!
Reader Success Stories
- "I love that this article, it gave me plenty of ways to dry my sunflowers and flower petals! The step-by-step instructions were very easy to understand and follow. And the informative pictures really helped also!" ..." more