Hairspray As a Flower and Foliage Preservative

Fresh Foliage and Flowers

• Give fresh greenery a light spritz of spray on the undersides of the petals and leaves. This helps the plant hold its moisture and freshness longer. Spray foliage and petals before arranging to keep them from sticking to the container. Use this method to prolong the life of stems arranged in a vase, to keep a hair decoration of fresh flowers from wilting or to maintain the freshness of a wreath. For a hair decoration, spray the blossoms lightly, then attach them to a comb or pin directly into the hair. In addition, give wreaths a light mist as soon as possible after you buy or make them.

Dried Foliage and Flowers

• Dried foliage and flowers are already preserved, so a light coat of hairspray helps them last even longer. Whether you dry the plant material yourself or buy it already processed, check that it’s completely dry before spraying. When spraying, hold the can at least 6 inches away to avoid damaging the leaves and blossoms. Cover the leaves and petals thoroughly with a light coating of spray. Do this several times, allowing the material to dry completely in between layers.

Why It Works

• Hairspray protects greenery in several ways. Stems and branches cut from a main plant aren’t able to produce moisture. Coating the leaves and blossoms with hairspray preserves the moisture so the plants keep their color and shape longer. In addition, if a bud hasn’t opened fully, the spray keeps it closed, maintaining both moisture and appearance. For dried flowers, the spray helps keep stems attached to the stalks. The dried stems of leaves and flowers are delicate and prone to falling off, and the leaves and petals may crack or shatter. Hairspray acts like a light glue to hold them in place or hold them together.

Considerations

• Hairspray acts to conserve leaves and petals that are already dry; it doesn’t dry the plants. If you plan to use plant material you dried yourself, dry it in the way that best suits that particular plant before using hairspray. Some foliage plants, such as ferns, palms and magnolias, dry best when hung upside-down by the stems. Air-drying also works well for dense flowering plants, such as roses. Drying in silica gel works best for less robust flowering plants, such as zinnias. Once dried and sprayed, keep your preserved flowers in a low-humidity environment and away from bright light. This will prevent decay and fading and keep your buds and foliage looking good for several months.