I think what most people do is float the flowers in a bowl of water.

I didn't have luck with cutting them and bringing them in. Someone once said something about burning the ends of the stems to keep in the moisture. Has anyone ever tried that? \As someone mentioned you can cut off the flowers and float them in a bowl like people do with gardenias. Has anyone tried that method? I tired that this week with one that I took to my Master Gardener Class and it didn't last too well because it got picked out of the water a lot.
Mary

I appreciate your answers to my question. I think I'll leave the flowers on the plant and enjoy them when I'm out in the garden. They last so long outside that it would be a shame to lose them.

It is now 7 days since I burned the bottom of the stem and the buds that were still closed have opened and the one flower that was open is still looking good. Way better than last year when they seemed to poop out in a few days.
Mary

Hi Maryvonne,
I'm wondering... are these flowers already from the seeds I sent you some years ago?

Re: Helleborus as cutflowers, I harvest quite many. The thicker the stems the longer the flower will last. I've had some better results with thin stem flowers when pricking the stem with a needle and filling the vase right to the top with water, so that the stems are in water over the whole length.
Still, some will not cooperate.

Thanks every one for your ideas. I will try them and see what happens. They are so beautifull it would be nice to enjoy them indoors as well.
Susanne, it's nice to hear from you again. I've been wanting to email you but lost your address when a virus hit a couple years ago. Your seeds have done very well and I'm so happy to have these lovely plants. So far I have several of the two I posted in the gallery and one bud that is creamy white. I can't wait to see it open. I gave some of the plants to a friend and she has a really lovely white flower with pointed sepals and some very fine red-maroon spotting. Very pretty and I thank you again for trading with me! How did your trillium do?
Maryvonne

I'm wondering how you "burn" the cut end?

I want to relate my experiences with cut hellebores...
Sunday I went to my flower farm and found a hellebore with probably 50 stems...it was magnificent. I cut about 20 stems, took them home, recut the stems and flamed each for about 5 seconds over a gas burner (I use this technique effectively for dahlias). When I got home from work yesterday at least half were drooping badly. I recut the stems (just a bit) and placed in a vase of fresh, really hot water (hottest available from the tap). This morning ALL are perked up again. I use this method with drooping roses and it works 99% of the time.

I have burned ends as well which only made them last 2 or 3 days. Nothing that would be worth taking them out of the garden. I do the bowl of them near the end of the season when they start to wilt away or look bad, but as cut flowers, they just don't seem to work. Sorry...

They certainly would be a beautiful cut flower!

darrensprincess

My bouquet lasted 1 week after the hot water treatment described above.

I had a hellebore last several weeks floating in water. It didn't seem to fade at all. But no hands picking it up out of the water over and over.

I cut a stem to bring to my gardenclub and it has been looking good for over a week now. They only time it started to droop was when it got to warm. I put it into cold fresh water ,set it in a spot out of direct sun and it perked right up. By the way it won a Blue Ribbon in the specimen catagory!

a very late reply to your thread - wait till nearly all the buds on the stem have opened - irrespectiveif the lower ones are already devleoped into seed pods. If picked at this very late stage they will last fine in straight tap water, not other special treatment required e.g. like burning the stem tips etc