Tropical flowers look expensive and delicate, and they are neither. Anthuriums, orchids, protea and ginger are some of the longest-lasting flowers you can bring home. A bunch that would outlive three rounds of tulips needs only a little care that differs from what roses and lilies want. Here is how to keep them looking good.
Rule One: Keep Them Warm
Most cut flowers like a cool room. Tropical flowers do not. Cold damages them, and the petals turn dark and translucent within a day. Never put them in the refrigerator, and keep vases away from air-conditioning vents and cold windows in winter. A normal room temperature is right.
Anthuriums
The glossy, heart-shaped part of an anthurium is a leaf called a spathe, which is why it lasts so long. Cut about half an inch off the stem, place it in clean water and change the water every few days. Wipe dust off the spathe with a damp cloth. With that care, anthuriums often stay fresh for two to three weeks. They are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, so keep them out of reach of pets.
Orchids
Cut orchid stems, usually dendrobium or cymbidium, last a week or two in water. Trim the stem every few days and remove flowers as they fade.
A potted moth orchid can bloom for two to three months. Give it bright light without direct sun, and water it about once a week, letting the pot drain completely. Roots sitting in water are the most common reason these plants die. When the last flower falls, cut the stem above a node and keep watering. Many plants bloom again.
Protea
Protea are woody, thirsty flowers. Cut the stems with sharp pruners, strip the leaves that would sit below the waterline and fill the vase generously, because they drink quickly. The leaves sometimes turn black while the flower is still fine, and they can simply be removed. When a protea is past its best, hang it upside down for two weeks. It dries beautifully and keeps its shape for months.
Ginger and Heliconia
These bold, bright stems take up very little water through the cut end. They absorb moisture through their surfaces instead. Mist them with water every day, and keep them out of direct sun. Use a tall, heavy vase, since the stems are top-heavy and will tip a light one.
Bird of Paradise
Each stem holds several flowers folded inside a green sheath. When the first ones fade, you can gently lift the next ones out with your thumb, which doubles the life of the stem.
Tropical Leaves
Monstera, palm and ti leaves often outlast the flowers. A single large leaf in a glass cylinder is an arrangement of its own, and it can stay green for three weeks or more. Rinse the leaves and change the water weekly.
How to Arrange Them
Tropical flowers are sculptural, so use fewer of them. Three anthuriums, one protea and two leaves are enough for a dining table. Choose a simple, heavy vase and leave space between the stems so each shape can be seen. Avoid mixing them with soft garden flowers, which fade a week earlier and spoil the water.
Where to Buy Them
On the mainland, ask your florist a few days ahead, since tropical flowers are usually ordered in. In Hawaii itself, they are everyday flowers. The Honolulu flower shop Pink Clover, for instance, delivers arrangements with orchids and other tropical flowers across Oahu the same day, and sends the buyer a photo before delivery. That is a simple way to send a piece of the islands to someone who lives there.
A Weekly Routine
Every three days, change the water, rinse the vase and trim a little off each stem. Mist ginger and heliconia daily. Keep everything away from ripening fruit, which gives off a gas that ages flowers. That is the whole job, and the flowers will repay it with two or three weeks of color.
