An Honest Guide to Floral Preservation
Will My Flowers Change Color? Here’s the Truth.
By Sarah Ebert, CEO & Founder
Fine Art Ages. We Design for That.
At Pressed Floral, we believe in the beauty of your blooms exactly as nature created them, untouched, authentic, and full of meaning. We are committed to only using natural preservation methods and caring for the earth that grew them. We never use harsh chemicals, artificial colors, or unnatural treatments. The flowers we return to you are in their most natural form, displayed to last a lifetime.
Color change within floral preservation can be a taboo topic for some companies. Others choose to offer artificial color correction to preserve the look of fresh florals. We feel it is highly important for you to know what to expect when your blooms are pressed, and when they age, and to see the beauty in this transformation.
We do not see color change as something to fix or correct. We view this shift as the natural evolution of your blooms. Much like natural keepsakes such as linen or leather, your blooms will develop a beautiful patina over time. Your blooms will age gently alongside you and your memories. This page will help you understand what changes to expect.
The Science Behind All-Natural Floral Preservation
Each flower has its own unique chemical composition, which determines its natural color and pigmentation. The vibrant tones you see in fresh blooms are the result of plant pigments: chlorophyll produces greens, carotenoids create yellows and oranges, anthocyanins are responsible for reds, pinks, purples, and most blues, and betacyanins create deep reds and magentas.
Blue flowers are colored primarily by anthocyanins, pigments that are especially sensitive to changes in pH and oxidation, making blue tones among the most delicate to preserve naturally. White flowers, by contrast, contain little to no visible pigment; their color comes from the reflection of light through translucent petal cells rather than concentrated pigmentation.
While the flower is alive and hydrated, water within the plant's cells supports that light reflection, allowing color to appear bright and saturated. When flowers are pressed and naturally dried, that water content evaporates, and oxygen interacts with the exposed pigments, causing tones to soften, deepen, or warm over time. True botanical preservation slows deterioration and stabilizes the blooms' natural state, but it does not chemically freeze pigment in its original form.
Which Flowers Shift the Most?
Not all blooms respond to pressing the same way. Here is a general guide to what you can expect from some of the most common flower types:
Factors That Affect Color Before Pressing Even Begins
Color change does not start in our presses. Several factors that occur before your blooms even arrive at our studio can influence how they press and what they look like in the finished piece.
Age of the Bouquet
We recommend shipping your blooms within 5 days of your event. The fresher the bloom, the better the chemical composition holds during pressing. We have successfully preserved blooms up to 10 days old depending on how they were stored, but age does increase the likelihood of browning. When in doubt, reach out before shipping and we'll advise.
Moisture Content
The water content within a bloom at the time of pressing affects both color and texture in the finished piece. Blooms with higher water content press flatter and often retain more pigment. Blooms that have dried out before pressing will come out with more texture and may be lighter toned. If your florals are dry to the touch before shipping, please contact us before sending them.
Packaging and Transit Conditions
How your blooms are packaged and what conditions they experience during shipping can affect their state upon arrival. Extreme heat, prolonged transit times, or inadequate packaging can accelerate deterioration. Our shipping guide walks you through exactly how to package your blooms to give them the best possible start.
Color Change Over Time
The shift from fresh to pressed is only one part of the story. Your piece will also continue to age gently after it leaves our shop, and we think that is worth talking about openly.
Tones will continue to warm and soften gradually. This process is slow, and it is influenced significantly by the environment where your piece is displayed. UV-protective glass, which is standard in every Pressed Floral frame, plays a meaningful role in slowing this process. Keeping your piece out of direct sunlight, away from heat sources, avoiding humidity, and in a stable environment will extend the vibrancy of your blooms considerably.
We do not see this aging as something to prevent. We see it as part of what makes a preserved piece an heirloom rather than a reproduction. Your blooms will age alongside you, and we think that is exactly as it should be.
How We Design With Color Change in Mind
Knowing that color will shift, both during pressing and over time, our designers approach each piece with that reality built into their process. Composition, spacing, layering, and the way blooms are arranged all take into account how the piece will look not just when it leaves our studio, but years from now.
This is part of what distinguishes a professionally designed pressed floral piece. Our designers are not simply arranging blooms attractively. They are making intentional decisions about how color relationships, negative space, and layering will hold up as the piece evolves. That expertise is part of what you are investing in.
Fine-Art that ages with you
Our bespoke pieces of art are completely organic materials, sealed carefully in UV protected glass and custom framing. While varnish, paint, and canvas will slowly fade and stretch over centuries, flowers will age even more rapidly due to their inherent organic nature. Even flowers that are alive and thriving in rich soil only bloom for a short season.
We have mastered the art of preserving the essence and design of your flowers in fine art-grade glass and frames while allowing those blooms to fade and wrinkle naturally. We don't claim to defy the laws of nature and use harmful chemicals that will harm the earth in the long run.
How beautiful is it that you can live and watch a piece of your personal history age with you? While the beauty of flowers can last forever, the significance embodied in this symbolic art-form is what we are most passionate about.
A Note on Expectations
If you are hoping for a piece that looks exactly like your bouquet did the morning of your event, we would rather tell you now that natural preservation will not produce that result. The colors will be softer. The tones will be warmer. And the piece will continue to change.
If you are open to something that honors your blooms as they are, that carries the beauty of organic aging, and that is designed to last a lifetime and be passed down, then we think you will love what we make for you.
We don't preserve flowers to freeze time. We preserve them to evolve beautifully.
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