How to Dry Gypsophila (2024)

• Home Guides
|
• Garden
|
• Gardening

When drying flowers, baby's breath (Gypsophila) is a great option to use either on its own or to complement larger flowers. Baby's breath is a perennial that grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 9, advises Missouri Botanical Garden.

Cut baby's breath to dry when buds are partially open and the flowers are just starting to open, advises Tesselaar Flowers. Wait to cut flowers until the dew has dried. Examine the flowers and discard any that are browning, diseased or otherwise damaged. Remove the leaves if desired and cut the stems again while holding them under running water.

Finally, dry baby's breath by hanging the bundles upside down. Select a dry, warm, well-ventilated area. A dark room is ideal, but if there is light, make sure the flowers are not in direct sunlight, which can cause the colors to fade. Drying usually takes about five to 14 days.

Alternatively, you can press the baby's breath. This will result in flattened flowers and stems that can be used on cards or framed flower displays. Once you have cut the baby's breath and discarded any that are damaged, you are ready to press the flowers.

Begin by placing a layer of cardboard on the table followed by a sheet of newspaper and then a sheet of tissue paper. Place the flowers in a single layer on the tissue paper. Cover the layer of flowers with another sheet of tissue paper, newspaper and cardboard. If you have additional flowers, continue to build layers so that all of the flowers are sandwiched between the cardboard and paper material.

Finally, cover the stack with a book that is large enough to cover the cardboard and apply even pressure on the flowers. You can increase the weight by using multiple books, bricks or rocks. Creating dried flowers with this method typically takes two to four weeks.

Although you can purchase baby's breath to dry for your project, many people find it satisfying to grow the flowers themselves. There are several species of baby's breath from which to choose including Gypsophila paniculata, which is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9, and an annual species of baby's breath called Gypsophila elegans, which is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 10, according to North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.

Gypsophila elegans has white or pink flowers that bloom for a short time in the spring and summer. Gypsophila paniculata is the species florists typically use in arrangements. It has small white flowers that bloom in the summer and fall. Use caution if you opt to grow this species, as it can be weedy, and it is poisonous to humans. When dried, it can cause mild, short-lived contact dermatitis and allergic asthma, according to North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.

Baby's breath grows in full sun to partial shade and prefers neutral to alkaline soil. The plants are drought tolerant. Gypsophila paniculata will tolerate soil that is occasionally wet, but wet conditions may cause Gypsophila elegans to rot.