How to Put Aspirin in Your Cut Flowers

Cut flowers can last longer if you use crushed aspirin.

The main ingredient of aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid, which is related to salicyclic acid. Salicyclic acid occurs naturally in many plants. According to Papillion's Art Palace, plants that were attacked by a disease produced more salicyclic acid to combat the illness. Aspirin that is placed in a cut flower's water can help the cut flower bloom longer and look better as it does so.

Things You'll Need

• Cut flowers
• Sharp Knife
• Vase
• Spoons
• Aspirin

Instructions

1. Remove any wrappings, ribbons or supplementary food source from your flowers. Some florists will provide cut flowers with a vial of fertilizer to keep them looking fresh, but remove it at this time.

2. Cut back the flower stems at a 45-degree angle using a sharp knife. You do not need to remove much of the stem. Instead, this is simply to give the flowers more surface area with which to absorb nutrients.

3. Fill a vase with water.

4. Crush an uncoated aspirin tablet between a pair of spoons.

5. Pour the crushed aspirin into the water.

6. Place the flowers in the water.

Tips & Warnings

• You may also use a water-soluble aspirin and simply allow it to dissolve in the water.

References

• Plantae: Plant Aspirin
• Reader's Digest: 8 Ways to Make Flowers Last Longer
• Papillion's Art Palace: Aspirin For Your Plants? Try It!