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Growing Flowers for Cutting

ByStephen Albert

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Nearly all flowers, twigs, berries, and leaves can be brought indoors and put in a vase for display. Some flowers, however, are easier to grow, cut, and display than others.

You can plant flowers for cutting. You can even dedicate a bed or even a garden for cutting flowers.

Flowers that are well suited for cutting share certain characteristics. The best flowers for cutting:

  • Last a long time in a vase—anywhere from a week to three weeks.
  • Have blooms that remain open for a week or more.
  • Have sturdy, slender stems that make them easy to group together and arrange.
  • Have petals and leaves that are firmly attached to stems and are unlikely to fall off.
  • Have either a fragrance or no fragrance—depending on what is desired.
  • Are free of sap that makes them difficult to handle or fouls water in a vase or bowl.
Yellow chrysanthemum flowers cut for display
Yellow chrysanthemum flowers cut for display

Growing flowers for cutting

Now that you know the desirable characteristics of cut flowers, here are a few tips for growing cut flowers:

  • Include flowers for cutting in beds and borders; grow them close to a walkway where they can be easily cut.
  • Plant cut flowers in dedicated rows and dedicated beds with paths between rows; rows can be dedicated to specific flowers.
  • Stagger the planting of cut flowers; sow seeds every two or three weeks during the growing season so that flowers are ready for cutting continuously.
  • Grow annuals and perennials in separate beds; annuals can be replaced at the end of a season with new annuals suited the next season, e.g. cool-weather annuals will be replaced with warm-weather annuals.
  • Group cut flowers by sun and water needs to make growing easier.
Cut tulips for spring indoors
Cut tulips for spring indoors

Flowers for cutting

Common NameBotanical NameZones
AsterAster spp.4-8
AstilbeAstilbe spp.3-8
Baby’s breathGypsophila paniculata3-9
Black-eyed SusanRudbeckia spp.3-10
Blazing starLiatris spicata3-9
CelosiaCelosia spp.Annual
ChrysanthemumChrysanthemum spp.4-9
CosmosCosmos spp.Annual
DaffodilNarcissus spp.3-8
DahliaDahlia spp.8-11
DelphiniumDelphinium spp.2-7
FressiaFressia spp.8-11
Gerbera daisyGerbera spp.7-10
GladiolusGladiolus hybrids8-11
GoldenrodSolidago hybrids3-9
Iris, all typesIris spp.3-10
LarkspurConsolida ambiguaAnnual
Lavender, EnglishLavandula angustifolia5-8
LilacSyringa spp.Varies
LilyLilium spp.Varies
Lily-of-the-valleyConvallaria majalis3-7
LisianthusEstoma grandiflorumAnnual
PeonyPaeonia spp.2-8
RosesRosa spp.Various
ScabiosaScabiosa caucasica3-7
Shasta daisyLeucanthemum x superbum4-9
SnapdragonAntirrhinum majusAnnual
Sunflower, annualHelianthus annuusAnnual
Sweet peaLathyrus odoratusAnnual
TulipTulipa spp.3-7
YarrowAchillea spp.3-9
ZinniaZinnia spp.Annual

Stephen Albert is a horticulturist, master gardener, and certified nurseryman who has taught at the University of California for more than 25 years. He holds graduate degrees from the University of California and the University of Iowa. His books include Vegetable Garden Grower’s Guide, Vegetable Garden Almanac & Planner, Tomato Grower’s Answer Book, and Kitchen Garden Grower’s Guide. His Vegetable Garden Grower’s Masterclass is available online. Harvesttotable.com has more than 10 million visitors each year.

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