How Does Aspirin Help Flowers Stay Fresh?

One of the chemicals in aspirin can help extend the life of cut flowers.

Flowers can bring add beauty and pleasant aroma to your home. Unfortunately, they do not always last as long as we wish they would. Adding a plain aspirin to freshly cut flowers can extend the life of your floral arrangements.

What Chemicals in Aspirin Prevent Flowers From Wilting?

Bayer Health Care, a leading aspirin manufacturer, states that the primary component of aspirin is salicylic acid. According to Bayer, this chemical "plays an important role in plants' defense systems."

How Does Aspirin Prevent Flowers From Wilting?

Aspirin prevents flowers from wilting by inhibiting the growth of bacteria in the water in which the flowers are stored, which prevents the bacteria from traveling up the stem of the flower. As bacteria can transform into various types of chemicals while in the stems of flowers, some of which cause the plant to wilt, limiting bacteria growth helps to keep the stems strong and the blossoms blooming.

How to Use Aspirin to Prevent Flowers From Wilting

For a medium-sized vase of flowers, place one non-coated aspirin pill per day. The aspirin can be simply placed into the vase---however, it can also be crushed, or even dissolved in a small amount of hot water. For smaller vases, use half of a tablet. Single flowers or corsages may require only a quarter tablet.

Maintaining the Life of Cut Flowers

Replace the water in the vases of your cut flowers daily, adding a new aspirin each time. Consider trimming the stems of the flowers underwater, in order to prevent air from entering the stem. Cutting off a small amount of the stem of cut flowers helps to keep the stems open, allowing the water to be transported up to the rest of the plant.

Using Aspirin for Live Plants

According to the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research at Cornell University, the salicylic acid in aspirin increases the immune system of growing plants, making them healthier and more resistant to bugs and disease. They suggest adding half of a crushed aspirin to water used for watering live plants. In addition, using aspirin on growing plants may make them stronger if they are cut and used in floral arrangements.

References

• Chain of Life Network:While aspirin can help lessen headaches and other ailments,
• Care2: How to Keep Your Cut Flowers Fresh
• Plants Feeling Under the Weather? Give Them Aspirin Water!