Weddingbee PRO

Dear Nancy,

What flowers stand up to heat well?  What flowers are good substitutes for things peonies or calla lilies (ex. feathery “girlie” flowers vs structured flowers). Also, what have been the most recent flower trends you’ve been seeing?

That’s easy. Tropicals like birds of paradise, orchids (some orchids are very delicate and might not be great in direct sunlight like Phalaenopsis but are still better than other flowers), ginger, ti leaves, and heliconia. These flowers are grown in warm temperatures, so they actually like the heat. When I was in Thailand last year, I went to an orchid farm and I saw how orchids were grown. The greenhouse must have been over 90 degrees; it was so humid and hot. The orchids were hung from wires and they grow hanging. It’s the weirdest thing.

My Good in Heat List includes sunflowers, yarrow, thistle, statice, carnations, protea, marigolds, craspedia, Viking mums, button mums, celosia, mini callas, cattail, chinese lanterns, cornflowers pods, curly willow, branch materials, hypericum, montbretia, peonies, safflower, viburnum berry, berzilia pods, peres, agapanthus, allium, amaranthus, anthuriums, kale, crocosmia, gomphrena, sedum, skimmia, trachelium, nigella, bells of Ireland…

My Fair in Heat List includes stock, lilies, gerberas, godetia, hyacinth, ranunculus, zinnia, delphiniums, snapdragons, queen anne’s lace, kangaroo paws, asters, astible, freesia, gladiolus, lysimachia, ornithogalum, lilac, irises, veronica, snowberries, fall antique hydrangeas, tight green hydrangea, baby’s breath (I’ve never used Baby’s breath in any of my arrangements so I don’t have any experience with them during intense heat, but I imagine they should be ok).

My Jury is still out in Heat List includes chocolate cosmos, cosmos, bouvardia, daffoldis, nerines, muscari, hydro garden roses (these are new and I’ve yet to try them in very intense heat), viburnum, phlox (never tried them in hot hot weather).

My Doesn’t Do Well in Heat List includes sweet peas( they droop), dahlias (they shatter), garden roses(they limp), gardenias (they brown), hydrangeas (they wilt), geranium( they sag), tulips (they open too fast), lisianthus (they also wilt), scabiosa (they brown), solidago( they droop and shed), italian ruscus (they fall apart),

Most flowers aren’t good in intense heat. As long as a reception is indoors with some A/C, you will be fine. It’s direct heat that cooks flowers! When in doubt, use branches and foliage!

Once again, thanks for the questions. I’m thinking about the other two questions and will get back to you!

Photography by Tara Arrowood