The Statis Flower in a Bouquet: A Florist's Practical Guide
Statis flower is how many people spell statice, the trade name for limonium, a plant whose stiff, papery heads in purple, blue, pink, white or yellow keep their colour after drying. In a vase it stays fresh for about two weeks, and then it can simply dry in place and decorate a room for many months.
In our Saint Petersburg shops, statice is the flower customers most often point at and ask about without knowing its name. The questions repeat: is it real, does it need water, why does it feel like paper, and will it still look good after the holidays. Here are the answers we give at the counter, in the order people usually ask them.
Is it a real flower, and what is it called
Statice is very much a living plant, cut fresh like any rose or tulip. The dry, rustling texture comes from the calyx, the coloured cup that surrounds a tiny pale flower in the centre. The small inner flower falls off within days, but the calyx stays bright, which is why the plant looks almost artificial to people seeing it for the first time.
Botanists call the plant limonium; statice is its old name, kept by florists for well over a century. In Russia it is sold as kermek, and older customers sometimes call it immortelle, although true immortelles belong to a different family. The spelling statis is common online and points to exactly the same flower.
The most popular type in bouquets is Limonium sinuatum, with flat, dense clusters on winged stems. Finer types with branching sprays of tiny flowers, sold as Caspia or Misty, are used much like gypsophila. Sea lavender, Limonium latifolium, forms wide lilac clouds and is often grown in gardens rather than sold by the stem.
How long statice lasts, fresh and dried
Customers buying a bouquet as a gift usually want to know whether it will survive a week. Fresh statice easily lasts 10 to 14 days in water, often longer than the roses beside it. When the main flowers in a mixed bouquet fade, it is worth pulling the statice out, because it can carry on as a small dried bouquet on its own.
Once dried, statice keeps its shape for a year or more and its colour for many months. Purple, violet and blue hold best; pink, peach and white soften faster, especially in a bright room. Dust is the main enemy of an old dried bouquet, so a gentle shake or a cool hairdryer every few weeks keeps it looking fresh.
This long life is the reason statice turns up so often in gifts to people who travel, work long hours or simply forget to change the water. It forgives neglect, and that is a real advantage when you are sending flowers to someone you cannot check on.
Bouquets we can deliver
Care in the vase: what we tell customers
Cut 2 to 3 cm off the stems with a sharp knife before putting the bouquet in water, and remove every leaf that would end up submerged. Statice leaves decay fast and spoil the water, which also causes the faint unpleasant smell some people notice after a few days. Clean water, changed every second day, solves both problems.
Fill the vase only a third of the way for statice alone. It does not need deep water, and a shallow level reduces the risk of stem rot. In a mixed bouquet, follow the needs of the thirstiest flowers, such as roses or hydrangea, and keep the water topped up.
Place the vase away from heating, direct sun and the fruit bowl. In Petersburg flats the heating season dries the air sharply from October onwards. That shortens the life of most cut flowers, but statice only takes it as a signal to start drying a little sooner, which is no loss at all.
Drying statice at home
The simplest method is to do nothing: when the bouquet starts to look tired, pour out the water, dry the stem ends and leave the statice standing in the same vase. Because the stems are rigid, they keep their shape as the moisture leaves. In a warm, dry flat this takes one to two weeks.
For the best colour, hang small bunches head down in a dark, dry place with some air movement. A wardrobe, a pantry or the space above a kitchen cabinet works well. Tie the bunches with a rubber band rather than string, since stems shrink as they dry and string lets them slip out.
Avoid drying in the bathroom, on a glassed-in balcony in autumn or anywhere damp, because the heads can turn brown and mouldy. If you live by the sea or in a very humid climate, add a few packets of silica gel to the cupboard. A properly dried stem snaps cleanly instead of bending.
Colours, meaning and good occasions
Statice is traditionally linked with remembrance and lasting affection, simply because it does not fade. Purple and blue suit an older relative, a teacher or a colleague you respect. Pink and soft apricot are friendly and tender, yellow is cheerful for a congratulation, and white works in wedding and sympathy flowers alike.
In bouquets we pair statice with roses, eustoma, chrysanthemums, alstroemeria and eucalyptus. It also has a firm place in winter compositions with cotton, lavender and dried grasses. A customer who asks for flowers that will last through the New Year holidays usually leaves with something that includes statice or a similar dried accent.
If you would like statice in a gift bouquet, mention it when you order. Composition depends on the season and the bouquet, so the easiest way to check what is possible is to call us at 8 (812) 507-67-05 before placing the order.
Ordering a bouquet in Saint Petersburg and across Russia
Pyat Tsvetov has worked since 2011 and has three own flower shops in Saint Petersburg, on Ilyushina Street, the Obvodny Canal Embankment and Srednerogatskaya Street. In Saint Petersburg we deliver around the clock, and we also deliver flowers across Russia. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs, the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
In large cities you can choose express delivery 1 to 2 hours after the order is confirmed, an exact time within 30 minutes either way, a time window such as 09 to 12 or 18 to 21, or a date up to 30 days ahead. Payment is online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. Bouquets are in the Bouquets catalogue, and delivery rules are on the Delivery and payment page.
Delivery is anonymous by default, and the card with your text is free. The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival; if nobody answers the door, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, leave the bouquet with a neighbour or concierge.
Frequently asked questions
Is statis the same as statice?
Yes. Statis is a common spelling of statice, the trade name for limonium. In Russia the same flower is sold as kermek.
Does statice need water?
Fresh statice should stand in water and lasts about two weeks that way. When it starts to fade, remove it from the water and it will dry in shape.
Which statice colours keep best when dried?
Purple, violet and blue hold their colour longest. Pink, peach and white soften faster, especially in bright light.
Can I pay for a bouquet with a foreign card?
Yes, foreign bank cards are accepted on our site through Robokassa. Russian cards, SBP and Yandex Pay are also available.
Do you deliver at night in Saint Petersburg?
Yes, in Saint Petersburg delivery is around the clock. For other cities, choose express delivery, an exact time or a time window when ordering.
Ready to send a bouquet?
Pick a city, choose the flowers, and we will hand them over with a photo confirmation.
Choose a city →