In today’s post we’ll talk about how to care for fresh eucalyptus so it lasts as long as possible and dries nicely too!
Eucalyptus, specifically the most traditionally-shaped variety with the leaves all lined up the stem, has been having a moment for a little while now. You can find it pictured on pillows and in art prints, and there are many different versions of faux eucalyptus that can be found, but if I’m being honest, none of them are really all that good. Fresh eucalyptus is definitely where it’s at. I think a lot of people are a bit nervous to bring the real stuff into their homes though because they believe that they’ll kill it immediately and it will be a big waste of money and a big hassle. So let’s talk about how to properly care for fresh eucalyptus, so that doesn’t happen to you.
Place Your Eucalyptus in Water
If you think buying fresh eucalyptus is too fancy and extravagant, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Caring for eucalyptus is super easy and it’s much like caring for anything else you’d buy at the florist, but without the part where things get all sad and messy and dead.
A lot of the time people buy eucalyptus with the intention of drying it, and of course that’s a great thing to do, but in my experience it’s best if you put your eucalyptus in a vase of water first if at all possible. Remove any leaves from the stems that will fall below the water line to prevent sliminess and keep your eucalyptus fresh for as long as possible.
If your vase is clear, you’ll notice that after a few days your eucalyptus will turn the water into kind of a “tea”. Eucalyptus almost always makes the water dark, but it actually really doesn’t harm it at all and you don’t even necessarily need to change the water at this point unless you think the brown water is ugly and you want to freshen it up for visual reasons. With cut flowers, murky water is usually a bad sign and can lead to your flowers fading more quickly, but the dark eucalyptus water doesn’t really affect anything.
Drying Fresh Eucalyptus
Even if you intend on drying your eucalyptus and keeping it for the long term, putting it in water when you first bring it home is a good idea. Having your fresh eucalyptus in water actually helps it dry more slowly and prevents the leaves from warping and wrinkling during the drying process.
The eucalyptus will actually dry perfectly on its own, right in the water. All you need to do is remove the water from the vase after the eucalyptus has dried on its own, usually in about 10-14 days. Or if you’re using a vase that isn’t see-through, feel free to leave the water in until it evaporates. No one will know and the eucalyptus will still look perfect.
Once your fresh eucalyptus is dry, you can either leave it on display in the vase, or even do something more creative like hang it from your shower for a fun spa-like experience at home.
What are your favourite uses for eucalyptus around your home?
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