How long do bought flowers last once you bring them home?

Bought flowers often last about five to seven days in a vase, while some varieties can stay attractive for two weeks or longer. Treat these as planning ranges: the flower type, its condition when you receive it and the care it gets at home all affect how long your bouquet looks good.

A bouquet also changes gradually rather than expiring on a particular day. One bloom may fade while the rest still look fresh, especially in a mixed arrangement. If you are buying for yourself or sending flowers to someone in Russia, the most useful approach is to choose for the occasion, arrange delivery close to when the flowers will be enjoyed and make those first few minutes of care count.

Why some bought flowers last longer than others

Flower variety makes a substantial difference. Carnations and chrysanthemums often remain presentable longer than more delicate flowers such as sweet peas. Roses, tulips and gerberas have different habits in a vase, so a single lifespan for every bouquet would be misleading. Even two bunches of the same flower can develop at different speeds.

The opening stage matters too. A partly open flower may have more development ahead of it, but a tightly closed bud is not automatically a better purchase: some buds fail to open well after cutting. Look at the whole stem instead. Firm petals, sound stems and leaves without extensive yellowing are more useful clues than tightness alone.

In a mixed bouquet, judge each variety separately as the days pass. Remove individual flowers when they fade, then rearrange the remaining stems in a smaller vase if needed. This keeps declining material out of the water and lets you enjoy the flowers that are still in good condition. A bouquet can remain pleasing even after its original outline changes.

The first steps after the bouquet arrives

Have a clean vase ready before unwrapping the stems. Wash it with washing-up liquid, rinse thoroughly and check the inside for residue from the previous bouquet. A quick rinse alone may leave a slippery film behind. For the full routine, see our guide to cleaning a vase between bouquets.

Remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline, then trim the stem ends with a clean, sharp tool before placing the flowers in water. Make a clean cut without crushing the stems. The aim is to give the flowers a fresh surface for taking up water while keeping foliage from decaying in the vase. Avoid stripping away healthy leaves unnecessarily.

If flower food is supplied, mix it with the amount of water stated on its packet. A stronger solution is not a shortcut to longer vase life, and dividing a packet by eye can give the wrong concentration. When you have no flower food, use clean water and be attentive to changes. Do not assume that adding sugar alone provides everything a cut flower needs.

Bouquets we can deliver

Bouquet of 1 yellow sunflowers

$13

Bouquet of 1 white lilies

$19

Bouquet of 1 pink lilies

$19

Bouquet of 3 gerberas mix

$21

A daily routine that helps flowers stay fresh

Check the water level every day, including when the vase still looks full from across the room. A wide container can conceal how little water remains around the stem ends, and an opaque vase gives you no visual warning. Top up as needed so the cut ends stay submerged. Flowers may take up water quickly during their first day at home.

Replace the water regularly, and do it promptly if it becomes cloudy or develops an unpleasant smell. Take the stems out, wash and rinse the vase, and refill it with fresh water. Remove loose leaves or fallen petals rather than leaving them to soak. Our vase water guide explains what to watch for between changes.

While changing the water, inspect the stems and remove fading flowers. If a stem end has become slimy, clean it and make a fresh cut with a clean tool before returning it to the vase. Soft or deteriorating stems may need to be discarded. Extra flower food cannot reverse decay, and one struggling flower does not mean you should throw away the entire bouquet.

Choose a position that slows fading

Put the bouquet somewhere cool in the room, away from radiators, heating vents and direct sunlight. Cut flowers do not need a sunny windowsill in the way a growing houseplant might. Strong sun can warm both the flowers and their water, making a bright display spot a poor choice for vase life. Indirect daylight is a practical option for enjoying the colours.

Avoid a position directly beside ripening fruit. Some fruit releases ethylene, a gas that can accelerate ageing in sensitive flowers. You do not need to reorganise the entire home; choosing another table is usually a simple precaution. Also keep the bouquet away from strong airflow, which can dry petals and leaves even when there is water in the vase.

For a dinner or celebration, you can place the flowers where they look best during the event and move them to a cooler suitable spot afterwards. Keep them stable and away from the edge of a busy table. Do not put a bouquet into a household refrigerator as a routine fix: contact with food, unsuitable conditions and accidental chilling can create new problems.

Plan a gift around when the recipient can enjoy it

For a birthday or anniversary, delivery on the occasion usually gives the recipient the most useful enjoyment of the bouquet. If the flowers are intended for a gathering, allow time for someone to unpack them and arrange them in water. Buying several days early uses part of their vase life before the celebration, even when you care for them carefully.

When you send flowers to Russia from abroad, consider the recipient's schedule in their city. We deliver across Russia. In large cities, express delivery is available in one to two hours after order confirmation. You can also choose an exact time with a tolerance of 30 minutes either way, a window of 09–12, 12–15, 15–18 or 18–21, or pre-order one to 30 days ahead.

Use WhatsApp to ask a manager for help choosing a bouquet and agreeing the address, delivery time and card text; you can also arrange a photo of the bouquet before delivery. If lasting enjoyment matters more than a particular flower, say so when discussing your choice. Vase life remains variable, so explain the recipient's needs rather than requesting a guaranteed number of days.

Make the handover easy and know when to let flowers go

The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. If they are absent, we agree a second delivery that day or, with the sender's consent, hand the flowers to a neighbour or concierge. Choosing a time when the recipient can take the bouquet indoors and put it in water helps avoid an unnecessary delay in care. City delivery costs 500 RUB; the operator confirms the price for remote districts and suburbs.

Delivery is anonymous by default: the courier does not name the sender. A card with your text is free, so sign it if you want the recipient to know who sent the flowers. You might include a brief, useful note such as “Enjoy these somewhere cool, with fresh water.” Browse the bouquets catalogue for your gift; online checkout uses CloudPayments, with available payment options shown at checkout.

As the bouquet ages, distinguish a change in shape from deterioration. Tulips may continue growing and bending in the vase, while other flowers open wider before fading. Remove blooms with mould, extensive browning or collapsing tissue, and keep any healthy stems separately in fresh water. Care can help flowers reach their potential, but it cannot make every bloom last indefinitely. We deliver bouquets across Russia in 1–2 hours.