Do Cut Flowers Need Sunlight?
No, cut flowers do not need direct sunlight, and they last noticeably longer without it. A cut stem can no longer feed the plant through photosynthesis in any useful way, so sun mainly adds heat and speeds up water loss and ageing. Bright, indirect daylight in a cool room is ideal: enough for colours to look their best and for buds to open, without the warmth that makes petals drop early.
This is one of the most common questions at the counter in our Saint Petersburg shops, usually asked by someone planning to put a new bouquet on a sunny windowsill because that is where houseplants go. Cut flowers follow different rules from potted plants. Below we explain why, where in a flat a vase actually does best, which flowers benefit from some light, and how to keep a delivered bouquet fresh for as long as possible.
Why cut flowers and houseplants want different things
A potted plant has roots, and it uses sunlight to make the sugars it needs to grow. Once a flower is cut, it lives on the water drawn up the stem and on the reserves already stored in its tissues. Light does very little to replenish those reserves, while heat and dry air burn through them faster. In practice, a bouquet in full sun ages in four or five days instead of seven to ten.
Direct sun also warms the water in the vase, and warm water grows bacteria quickly. Those bacteria clog the stems, which then cannot drink even though the vase is full. This is why flowers on a sunny windowsill often wilt from the top down while the water still looks clean.
The one exception is light for opening. Tight buds of roses, peonies and lilies open more evenly in a bright room than in a dark corridor, and colours look richer in daylight. That is a question of indirect light, though, not of sunshine falling straight on the petals.
Where to put a vase in a typical flat
The best spot is a table or a sideboard a metre or two away from a window, in the coolest living room you have. Morning light from an east-facing window is gentle and usually fine; south and west windows in summer are too hot from midday onwards. If the only free surface is a windowsill, choose one that does not get afternoon sun and move the vase off it during the hottest hours.
Radiators are a bigger problem than sun in Russian flats for half the year. Central heating runs from autumn to spring, and the air near a radiator is both hot and very dry, which drains petals in days. Keep the vase at least a metre away from any radiator, heater or warm appliance such as a TV or a coffee machine. Our guide to keeping cut flowers fresh in a warm Russian apartment goes into this in more detail.
Draughts matter too. An open window in winter or an air conditioner blowing directly at the vase dries flowers almost as quickly as heat. A quiet corner of the room, away from the doorway and vents, is better than the most decorative spot in a stream of air. At night, many florists move bouquets to the coolest room in the home, and it does add a day or two of life.
Bouquets we can deliver
Flowers that like some light and flowers that hate it
Tulips are the classic case of a flower that reacts to light. They keep growing after cutting, sometimes by several centimetres, and bend towards the brightest side of the room. If you want them to stay straight, turn the vase a quarter each day or keep them in even, indirect light. Gerberas and sunflowers also turn their heads towards light, though less dramatically.
Roses, chrysanthemums, carnations and alstroemeria are content in moderate light and do not need any special attention. Lilies and peonies open well in a bright room, but once they are fully open, a cooler, shadier spot slows them down and keeps petals on longer. Remove lily pollen as the flowers open to protect the petals and your tablecloth.
Hydrangeas, sweet peas, ranunculus and anemones are the most sensitive to heat and sun. Give them the coolest, shadiest place you have, and they will reward you with several extra days. Orchid stems such as cymbidium and phalaenopsis prefer soft, diffused light and warmth without sun, which makes them a good choice for a bright office.
Water, temperature and the other half of vase life
Placement is only half the story; the rest is water and stems. Before arranging, trim 2-3 cm off each stem at an angle with a sharp knife and remove leaves that would stand in water. Use a vase scrubbed clean with no residue from the last bouquet, and fill it with water at room temperature for most flowers. Our article on the best water temperature for cut flowers covers the exceptions.
Change the water every two days and trim the stems again each time. If the bouquet came with a sachet of flower food, dissolve it fully in the water; it feeds the stems and slows bacteria. Keep the vase away from the fruit bowl, because ripening fruit releases ethylene, a gas that speeds up wilting.
Taken together, a cool room, indirect light and clean water make a far bigger difference than any trick involving aspirin, sugar or coins. A bouquet of roses or chrysanthemums kept this way often lasts ten days or more, and chrysanthemums can easily stand for two weeks.
Sending a bouquet to someone in Russia
Many of our English-speaking customers order flowers for parents, friends or partners in Saint Petersburg and other Russian cities. You can choose a bouquet in our catalogue and add a free card with your text; delivery is anonymous unless you sign it. City delivery costs 500 RUB, and for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
In Saint Petersburg we deliver around the clock, and in large cities express delivery arrives 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed. You can also pick an exact time with a margin of plus or minus 30 minutes, a window from 09-12 to 18-21, or pre-order 1-30 days ahead. The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival; if nobody is home, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, hand the bouquet to a neighbour or concierge.
Payment is online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted. It is a kind touch to add a line of care advice to the card, such as keeping the vase out of the sun and away from the radiator. Questions can be asked by phone at 8 (812) 507-67-05. We deliver bouquets across Russia in 1–2 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Should I put cut flowers in the sun?
No. Direct sun heats the petals and the water, which speeds up wilting and bacterial growth. Bright, indirect light in a cool room is best.
Do cut flowers last longer in the dark?
They age slightly more slowly in a cool, dim place, which is why florists store them that way. For display, indirect daylight is fine and helps buds open and colours look their best.
Why do my tulips bend in the vase?
Tulips keep growing after cutting and turn towards light. Turn the vase a little every day or keep them in even, indirect light to keep them straighter.
Is a windowsill a good place for a bouquet?
Only if it gets no afternoon sun and there is no radiator underneath. Otherwise a table a metre or two from the window is a better choice.
Can I pay with a foreign card when ordering to Russia?
Yes, foreign bank cards are accepted. Payment is online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay.
Ready to send a bouquet?
Pick a city, choose the flowers, and we will hand them over with a photo confirmation.
Choose a city →