05/26/2026
It’s lilac season in Maine and I thought I’d share my best tips for how to get the longest vase life out of these fragrant beauties!
Lilacs are prone to wilting when cut but if you follow these tips you can enjoy them indoors for about a week.
1. Cut lilacs in the cool of the morning. Avoid cutting in the heat of the day as they will more likely wilt.
2. Fill a CLEAN bucket with a lot of cold water (ideally 8-10 inches of water) so you can plunge the stems in there immediately.
3. Harvest when about 1/3 of the florets are open for longest vase life.
4. Remove all the leaves. If the stem has to hydrate both flowers and leaves it’s more likely to wilt.
5. Cut the stem at a 45 degree angle and also make a vertical cut about 1-2 inches up the stem. This makes it easier for the woody stem to take in water quickly.
6. Bonus - you can also peel the bark off the bottom 2-3 inches of the branch.
7. Place your bucket in a cool dark spot for an hour or two before transferring to a vase. If you need to trim the branches again, repeat steps 5 & 6.
8. Keep your arrangement out of direct sunlight. Refill the vase with clean water daily.
9. Enjoy the brief but delightful season of lilacs!
