How to Dry Hydrangeas

Hydrangea blooms are big and beautiful and go wonderfully in all sorts of flower arrangements. Hydrangeas dry very nicely and can be used in arrangements throughout the year. It is important that you do not harvest them too soon. Hydrangeas that are left on the bush until they begin naturally drying tend to work best. Once you have harvested the blooms, you can choose to dry them naturally either upright or upside down.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Scissors
• Vase

Dry Hydrangeas Upright

1. Cut the blooms, leaving as long a stem as possible. For the best outcome, make sure to harvest the blooms toward the end of the summer when a lot of the moisture has already left them. Blooms harvested earlier may be more colorful when harvested, but this color does not usually last.

2. Strip the leaves off the stem. The leaves do not dry nicely and do not add anything to arrangements, so they are best removed.

3. Place the hydrangeas in a vase without water. They will dry naturally over the course of a few weeks.

Dry Hydrangeas Upside Down

4. Harvest the blooms, as outlined. It is especially important to make sure the stems are long enough to tie to a string and suspend them upside down.

5. Strip the leaves from the stems.

6. Hang the blooms upside down by tying the stems to a line. Make sure the hydrangeas are not exposed to excessive heat, sunlight or moisture in order for them to dry naturally. The flowers should be dry in a few weeks and ready to add to arrangements. The speed at which the hydrangeas dry will depend on the heat and humidity of the drying environment.

Tips & Warnings

• Not all hydrangea varieties retain their color when dry. Penny Mac, Preziosa, or Altona varieties hold their color better than most other varieties.