Flower Care

Cut flowers in Qatar face two problems: the heat outside and the air conditioning inside. Both dry them out. A few minutes of attention buys you days.

The first hour matters most

• Get the arrangement out of the car and into the shade quickly. Twenty minutes in a hot boot costs several days of life.
• If it arrived wrapped rather than in water, cut two centimetres off each stem at a sharp angle and get it into a clean vase straight away.
• Cut at an angle, not straight across — it exposes more surface to the water and stops the stem sealing flat against the base of the vase.

Every day

• Change the water daily. In a Doha summer this matters more than anything else on this page. Topping it up is not the same thing — old water carries bacteria that blocks the stems.
• Strip any leaf that would sit below the waterline. Submerged foliage rots within a day and fouls the water.
• Re-cut the stems every second day.

Where to put them

• Out of direct sun, and never on a windowsill in the afternoon.
• Away from the air conditioning vent. A cold draught dehydrates flowers as fast as heat does.
• Away from the fruit bowl. Ripening fruit releases ethylene, which makes flowers drop early.

Flower by flower

• Hydrangea drinks through its petals as well as its stem. If it wilts, submerge the whole head in cool water for twenty minutes — it usually comes back.
• Tulips keep growing after cutting and bend toward the light. Turn the vase daily if you want them upright.
• Roses benefit from having the outer guard petals removed. They are there to protect the bloom in transit.
• Anthurium and orchids are the longest lived things we sell. Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to keep the gloss.
• Peonies arrive tight on purpose. They open over three to five days in a warm room.

Dried and preserved

No water, ever. Keep out of direct sun to stop the colour fading, and dust gently with a hairdryer on its coolest setting. Expect a year or more.

Our seven-day promise

If something goes over before day seven despite all this, photograph it and send it to hello@anthophile.qa. We will replace the arrangement. No receipt needed.