30 Best Flowers to Grow for Dried Flower Arrangements

When you think of dried flower arrangements and wreaths, do you think of those horrible things your mom and grandma used to display in the early 1990s? Well, I did, too.

I confess that when I saw what today’s farmer florists are creating with dried flowers in the 2020s, I changed my mind about dried flowers. By growing and drying this list of flowers, you can create gorgeous and modern-looking dried floral arrangements.

I’ll be growing most of these flowers this year and have already started working with some dried flowers from last year. You can find my dried flower creations (like this gorgeous rainbow-coloured crown) on Instagram @shiftingblooms. And if you’re local to Saskatoon and the area, you can even purchase them!

Two white pumpkins adorned with colorful dried flowers are displayed on a rustic wooden surface. Each pumpkin features an arrangement of vibrant blooms cascading down one side, adding a touch of autumn charm.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission if you purchase anything, at no extra cost to you. You can read more about it in my Privacy Policy. Thank you for supporting Shifting Roots!

The Best Way to Dry Flowers

Cut flowers when they are about three-quarters open and hang them upside down in a warm, dark, dry place. The darkness is important to preserve the flowers’ colour. If you dry them in the sun, the colour will fade.

If you have excessive moisture in your area, consider running a dehumidifier in the affected space.

In around 2-3 weeks, you should have dry and usable flowers. If you can’t use them immediately and need to store them elsewhere, carefully wrap them in tissue or kraft paper.

Be very gentle with dried flowers, as they break easily.

A bunch of dried flowers hangs upside down inside a greenhouse. The flowers are tied with string to a metal frame, with sunlight softly illuminating their petals.

Related: How to Start a Cut Flower Garden

Can you dry all types of flowers?

Technically, yes. You can dry anything you don’t have room to make an arrangement with, or anything that doesn’t sell. However, some flowers will hold up better than others.

For example, I can’t imagine a dried cosmos being particularly hardy, but go ahead and try it. I also used dried peonies last year, and they worked surprisingly well. I’ve even seen ranunculus work well as a dried flower. Even though it isn’t the first flower I would think of, I’ve seen it work beautifully in dried arrangements.

Long story short: experiment and figure out what works for you!

Three floral hoop wreaths with dried flowers on a white wooden background. Each wreath features a gold ring adorned with a variety of flowers in shades of pink, purple, and cream, complemented by dried greenery.

Related: The 35 Best Cut Flowers to Feed Your Floral Arranging Habit All Summer Long

Which dried flowers last the longest?

In the winter of 2021, I started making Christmas wreaths with dried flowers. I was very nervous about how long they would last as they would be exposed to the elements, plus the wet, thawing snow, but I was pleasantly surprised! Statice, sweet Annie, frosted explosion grass, and cress were all extremely tough and looked good well into March.

A rustic wooden shelf displays two floral arrangements with dried purple flowers and lush greenery. Beige candles are set vertically in the center of each arrangement. A white bucket and a window with a blurred outdoor view are in the background.

Related: 10 Easiest Annual Cut Flowers to Grow From Seed (Plus 2 to Avoid)

The Best Flowers to Grow for Drying

1. Ageratum

2. Amaranth

Tall red amaranth plants with vibrant leaves stand in a garden. In the background, a greenhouse and green foliage are visible under a clear sky.

3. Broom Corn

Unlike regular corn, broom corn will grow large tassels and little to no cob.

4. Bunny Tails

Close-up of fluffy, light brown grass seed heads swaying gently among green grasses in sunlight. The soft, feathery texture creates a serene and natural atmosphere.

5. Celosia

Celosia comes in both a brain type (as shown) and a spike type.

A vibrant red celosia plant with lush leaves grows in a garden. The plant has a tall, dense inflorescence and stands out against the background of green foliage and soil.

Related: How to Grow Celosia in a Cold Climate, Short Growing Season

6. Craspedia

Close-up of a hand holding three yellow craspedia flowers against a bright blue background.

7. Cress

8. Delphinium

9. Dusty Miller

Close-up of dusty miller plants with silvery white, soft leaves against a blurred background of green foliage.

10. Eucalyptus

Related: How to Grow Eucalyptus for Cut Flowers (Even in a Short Growing Season)

11. Frosted Explosion Grass

Frosted explosion grass is much loved by flower farmers because it looks beautiful and shimmery, plus it fills in any bare spots in an arrangement so well. Plant lots because you’ll want to use it often.

Close-up of a cluster of green frosted explosion grass resting against a light gray wooden surface. The plants have feathery seed heads and slender leaves.

12. Globe Thistle

13. Goldenrod

One of my favourite fall perennials. I’m able to collect it from the ditches where I live. (Harvesting responsibly, of course.)

A woman in a white dress gathers yellow flowers in a grassy field. The sun shines brightly, highlighting the natural setting and her long, wavy hair. A white basket filled with flowers rests on the ground nearby.

Related: 27 Drought-Tolerant Native Plants for the Prairies

14. Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)

Bright pink globe amaranth flowers with tiny white centers grow among green leaves in a garden, bathed in sunlight.

15. Hydrangeas

A cluster of violet hydrangeas blooms brightly in a garden, surrounded by lush green leaves. The background is softly blurred, highlighting the flowers under natural sunlight.

16. Larkspur

17. Love in a Mist (Nigella)

When Love-in-a-Mist is finished blooming, you’ll have beautiful pods to harvest and dry.

18. Marigolds

19. Poppies

As with the Love in a Mist above, poppies are dried for the pods, not the flowers. Breadseed poppies and rattle poppies produce some of the largest pods.

Related: How to Grow Poppies in Zone 3

20. Ranunculus

Related: How to Grow Ranunculus in Zone 3 (So They Don’t Die!)

21. Roses

If you’re growing roses on the prairies, make sure to plant the Morden series of roses for a better growing experience.

A small rose bush with light pink flowers in bloom, surrounded by green leaves. The plant is in a garden with soil and greenery in the background.

Related: Growing Roses in a Cold Climate (and the Varieties that Won’t Die!)

22. Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)

Scabiosa make amazing seed pods with a unique texture when they are finished blooming.

23. Sea Holly

Starting your Sea Holly from seed? Make sure you start them early, as they need 10-12 weeks before your last frost date to get started.

24. Silver Mound

Silver mound is a low-growing, bushy perennial with greyish-green leaves that look very beautiful when dried. It’s not used as a cut flower because the stems are too short, but they’re long enough to use dried in wreaths or smaller arrangements.

Close-up of a potted plant with soft, silvery-green foliage, displayed on a mesh table outdoors. The background features blurred greenery.

25. Statice

Vibrant clusters of small pink and purple flowers bloom against a backdrop of lush green foliage. The flowers, with delicate petals, create a colorful and lively natural scene.

Related: How to Grow Statice in a Short Growing Season

26. Strawflowers

A cluster of vibrant pink and yellow strawflowers bloom against a blurred green background. The flowers have papery petals and are in various stages of blooming, creating a lively and colorful garden scene.

Related: How to Grow Strawflowers in Zone 3

27. Sunflowers

Related: How to Grow Sunflowers in Zone 3

28. Sweet Annie

Three pumpkins in varying sizes and colors are adorned with dried flowers and foliage, set against a rustic white wooden backdrop. — The small, golden brown dried flowers stretching out of each arrangement are sweet Annie!

29. Yarrow

Close-up of clusters of small pink and yellow flowers with green foliage in the background, creating a vibrant contrast against the blurred, dark green setting.

Related: How to Grow a Low-Maintenance, Wildflower Garden

30. Wheat

Don’t be limited to just wheat–any grain will work! Look also for different wheat colours, such as black and red shades.

Close-up of two stalks of wheat in a sunlit field, with a clear blue sky in the background. The focus is on the golden spikes, while the rest of the field is softly blurred.

If you liked this blog post, find me on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to follow more of my farmer florist journey and join in the cut flower conversation! I also make weekly videos on my YouTube channel. You can also sign up for bouquet-making events and buy my flowers at my sister site Shifting Blooms. I hope to see you there!

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Collage of various flowers suitable for dried arrangements. Features pink and purple blooms, white accents, and lush green foliage. Text reads "25+ Best Flowers for Dried Arrangements" with a website link at the bottom.

Image shows bunches of dried flowers hanging upside down. Featured flowers include blue, pink, and red varieties. Text reads: "25+ best cut flowers for dried arrangements." Website: shiftingroots.com.

Comments

Doug

Most of the plants you have presented are in my garden, it's amazing. To be honest, I have dried a few of them because I was doing a herbarium together with my children. The most beautiful was eucalyptus and ageratum which I have In three different colours: blue, pink and white. I have bought its seeds on https://gardenseedsmarket.com/agerantum-floss-flower-seeds-ageratum-houstonianum-mill.-4750-seeds.html and grow it since a few years. I also like so much strawflowers which also grow in my garden but I didn't dry them. Will try it and add to our herbarium!

Karon

Love reading garden and flower blogs your selection was great a few new ones to add to my cut flower farm gate garden. I love picking and mixing up poses.sometimes I have wildflowers to add to my posies. When I'm not making posies I love reading blogs like yours thank you.

Lisa

Great article! I've already started sea holly but have a question. So they bloom the first year and in zone 3 are they a perennial?

Donna

Does yarrow hold its shape and color when dried? Mine seems to shrivel up to nothing. Wondering what I am doing wrong? Does celosia grow well for you outdoors in Saskatchewan?

Frøydis

You do not need darkness to dry flowers.Sravfloer will not fade even i sunshine. What will fade over time is the green stem ,and some flowers will lose their color even in darkness. Ofcause you xan dry them dark, but it will not keep or change the color.I have grown dried flowers in 40 years .