Preserving flowers using wax is so easy, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner! Of course, here are a few tips to ensure the flowers last. When my husband surprised me with this gorgeous bouquet, I knew immediately that I wanted to find a unique way to preserve several of the flowers and although I’d seen the wax technique before, I had no idea how simple it really was to implement!
How to Preserve Flowers with Wax
In order to preserve flowers using wax, you’ll need a decent source of Wax! This can be old dollar store candles, leftover Scentsy tarts that have lost their scent, or basic paraffin wax (which is what we’ve opted to use in the tutorial).
Next, you’ll need a container in which to melt the wax, here are 3 options that work well:
If you happen to have a 1 or 2-quart slow-cooker, you can line the slow-cooker with a slow-cooker liner for easy cleanup.
Alternatively, a repurposed soup or vegetable can that has had the label removed and been washed and dried thoroughly will work great. Simply fill the slow-cooker halfway with hot water, place the wax in the can and use the slow-cooker as a double boiler to melt the wax.
Finally, the third option- just use a small 1/2 quart cooking pot to heat the wax.
Before you start let me say that Paraffin wax is EXTREMELY Flammable and if you’re going to heat it over an open flame, take extreme precautions. Use the lowest heat setting available and do NOT walk away from the stove.
Heat the wax just until it’s melted, about 130-140F (maximum). If the temperature is below that, the wax will not coat flowers properly. Remove the wax from the heat source (shut off the flame!)
If you cannot stick your finger in it without burning your finger- then it’s TOO hot and the flowers will scorch.
Cut the flowers, leaving about 2-3 inches of stem. Holding the flower by the stem, gently dip the flower into the wax to completely coat. If the petals brown or appear to shrink a bit, that means the wax is still too warm.
Repeat, this is a case where double-dipping is completely encouraged!
Once the flower has been dipped twice, hold it for a moment to let it harden. It takes 2-3 minutes. Alternatively, you can place them in a shot glass (which is the perfect size for holding them up!). Once the wax on the blossom has set, hold the flowers by the bloom and dip the stems to seal the stems. Failure to do so will result in your flowers slowly rotting.
Now, unfortunately, there is a slight learning curve to getting the wax temperature right! This is what happens if you allow the wax to get TOO hot:
Notice how the wax is bubbling around the flower, that’s because the poor thing is cooking! Now, this is what it looked like when I pulled it out, notice how the petals are all closed together and shriveled? Some have even turned brown. Unfortunately, this poor flower didn’t make it.
As for the types of flowers- I had wonderful luck with Roses, carnations, lilies, azalea, daisy’s, and whatever that pretty purple flower is in the photo!
Long-Term Preservation:
Waxed flowers will last about a month. If you want them to last indefinitely, you’ll need to feed the LIVE flowers a solution of 2 parts warm tap water to 1 part glycerin. Feed them the solution for 3-5 days prior to preserving the flowers in wax.
