Moms are tired of roses and have been begging for these
While a bouquet of flowers is beautiful, they don't last long. Next time you think about picking up a bouquet, grab a succulent arrangement instead!
Getting cut flower arrangements for Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, birthdays and anniversaries and other holidays can be a lot of fun, but I'm always sad when they quickly fade away. It seems even if I pay close attention to them they don't last more than 2-3 days.
My mother-in-law mentioned she felt the same way and we came up with a great alternative… buy a succulent arrangement instead!
You might be thinking that succulent arrangements are expensive, or too hard to take care of, but they are so much better than a bouquet! Here are a few reasons why…
Similar price
Unless you're buying a really cheap bunch of flowers, a floral arrangement can cost anywhere from $30 to over $100! Especially if you're buying them during peak times like Valentine's Day, Graduation, Christmas, etc. the prices can be quite high.
Whether you make one yourself or buy something already put together, a succulent arrangement is often similarly priced or even cheaper than a cut floral arrangment.
There are also some fun vertical gardens, wreaths, wood initials, nests, birdhouses and more for a great price.
You can often find great arrangements locally too, especially around popular holidays.
Little Care Required
A bouquet will die within a few days, maybe a week if you're lucky. There's no avoiding it. But, a succulent arrangement can last months without being taken care of! It may not look it's best after a few months of complete neglect, but it will look a lot better than dead flowers.
Even with minimal care, you can extend the life of the arrangement. It doesn't take much, and it will for sure last longer than your cut flowers would.
I got an arrangement from a friend and it was pretty neglected after I photographed it initially. In the photo below, it has only been watered twice in two months and it's hardly seen the sun. I have been amazed at how great it looks still!
The arrangement is also shipped with dry roots. When succulent roots are dry, they don't grow as quickly. So, if you don't water your new arrangement right away, it will likely maintain it's shape a little better.
It's ok if it dies
For some reason people feel like they have to keep a succulent arrangement alive and really care for it. But, you don't do that with cut flower bouquets! It's interesting that we're ok with spending $50 on a bouquet of flowers and have it die in a couple days, but if we spend the same on succulents we feel the need to keep them alive or it's “a waste of money”. This is not the case.
It's totally fine if your arrangement dies in the end. You can always buy a few more and replant the pot. Then you also get to try some new varieties. And again… they will last weeks longer than a bouquet even without properly being cared for.
You can keep it alive too
I know I just said it's ok if the arrangement dies, and it is. But… the great thing about succulents is they can be low maintenance and fairly easy to keep alive if you know how to properly care for them.
I'm also convinced that succulents can be grown and kept alive just about anywhere. If you really want to get the most out of your succulent arrangement, just put a little bit of effort into caring for it and it can last for years!
It's more unique
One of my favorite things about buying a succulent arrangement instead of cut flowers is that it's more unique. Don't get me wrong, roses and daisies are great, but succulents have so much more variety and diversity. Plus, the prices don't skyrocket around holidays like flowers generally do.
You can some really fun designs that will look great anywhere, like this gorgeous star arrangement by Succulent Wonderland.
You can make more from the one you buy!
This is one of my favorite parts 🙂 Many succulents propagate from leaves, so simply removing a few leaves from your succulent arrangement can result in more plants! Plus, as it grows you can also take cuttings from the plants and pot them elsewhere. It's really a gift that keeps on giving if you take care of it.
So, are you convinced? There really are so many reasons why succulents make better gifts than flower bouquets. Especially since they don't cost much more (if any) than flowers and they last longer, it just makes sense.
Now, you may be the person who'd like to receive succulents as a gift instead of flowers. If that's the case… just subtly pass this post along to your significant other. A few hints won't hurt and you may just end up with succulents for you next holiday or anniversary!
If you're looking to give succulents as a gift, I've put together a list of succulent arrangements that good quality. Stop by and see what you like!
Expert Tips for Creating Stunning Succulent Arrangements
Figuring out which succulents to combine together to make a beautiful arrangement can be daunting. But with these tips from succulent design experts you'll be able to put together crowd-pleasing arrangements easily, whether it's in pots or in the ground.
This article originally appeared on Succulents and Sunshine.