How to enjoy long lasting cutflowers
Caring for Fresh Cut Roses
Caring For Fresh Cut Birds of Paradise

Cut the Stem Ends
Using sharp pruning shears, cut off about an inch from each stem; cut on the diagonal. Avoid using scissors, which can crush the stem rather than make a clean cut.

Remove Lower Leaves
Remove the lower leaves from the stems (leaves that will be underwater when the flowers are in a vase). Leaves underwater in the vase will invite harmful bacteria formation.

Add Floral Preservative to the Vase
Floral preservative will help your lilies last even longer. Sprinkle the contents of a packet into the vase; fill the vase with fresh, lukewarm water. Now it's ready for your cut flowers.

Protect Your Flowers
Keep your lilies out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources, such as forced air vents or fireplaces. Also, keep lilies away from fruit bowls and your garage -- they're sensitive to ethylene gas. Cool temperatures will lengthen the life of your flowers. Snip spent blooms and yellowing foliage to keep your bouquet looking fresh.

Remove the Anthers
When lilies open, they reveal beautiful, pollen-covered anthers on the ends of the stamens. The pollen sometimes drops from the anther and stains fabric and skin. (It's otherwise harmless.) We suggest clipping the anthers as soon as the flowers open. This will also lengthen the vase life of the lilies.

Change the Water
Once every 2 or 3 days, remove the bouquet from the vase and give the stems a fresh cut. Rinse the vase; then refill it with fresh, lukewarm water.

Admire Your Lilies
Be sure to place your lilies in a location where you'll see and enjoy them!