How to Make a Succulent Boutonniere

Lazuzach

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posted on 7 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Succulents are the perfect plant to create a unique boutonniere for a wedding or prom. Unlike traditional floral boutonnieres, succulents do not require as much water to stay fresh. As a result, they can be made well in advance of the event. In order to make a succulent boutonniere, you will need to select the succulents, create and wrap the stem of each succulent, attach the stems to each other, and then add the finishing touches.[1]
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Steps

Selecting the Succulents

Choose the colours. Succulents are predominantly green, but you can find some that have red, purple, or yellow hues. You may want to consider pairing a few green succulents, such as jade, with a pink sedum to give a bit of colour. Look at a variety of different succulent plants and choose a colour combination that works with your style and event.

Select different shapes. You also want to select a variety of different succulents. This will give your boutonniere more texture and depth. For instance, you may want to pair a short succulent, such as pink sedum with taller and thin succulents, such as haworthia fascinata or sedum burrito.

Consider a filler. Although a combination of different succulent varieties will make a beautiful boutonniere, you may want to consider adding a flower or some greenery as a filler. For example, you could add a sprig of baby’s breath or a single rose to give the succulent boutonniere a bit of colour and texture.

Wrapping Individual Succulents

Cut off the roots. If the succulents you have selected to use have roots, you will need to cut off the roots using a pair of scissors. For example, you may be using a succulent that was previously planted in a pot and therefore has a small root ball. Cut the root at the base of the plant.

Add a wire stem. Insert a three to five inch (7-12 cm) piece of floral wire into the base of the succulent. Pull the wire all the way through until the succulent is positioned in the middle of the wire. Then fold the wire downward from the base of the succulent so that it creates a wire stem. Repeat this with each individual succulent you are using. For a boutonniere you should use 24-32 gauge wire. This wire can be purchased at a local florist or craft supply store.

Wrap the stem with floral tape. Once you have created a wire stem, wrap the stem with floral tape. Start the tape at the base of the succulent and continue to wrap it around the wire all the way to the end. You can use green floral tape to look like a natural stem, or use a bright colour to match with the suit or tie.

Assembling the Boutonniere

Twist two wire succulent stems together. Once you have created an individual stem for each succulent, you need to join them all together. Twist two of the wire stems together to help secure them in place. You can also slightly bend the wire to position the succulents so that they are facing in right direction.

Wrap the stems together with floral tape. Using floral tape, wrap all of the stems together. This will create a relatively thick single stem for the boutonniere.

Cut the wire stem. Once you are finished wrapping all of the stems together, you can cut the wire stem so that it is the desired length. Typically, you only want to leave about a one inch (2.5 cm) stem. If you want to a create a curled stem you can leave it slightly longer.

Adding the Finishing Touches

Attach a ribbon. Use a small piece of ribbon or twine and tie it around the boutonniere. You can wrap the ribbon or twine around the stem of the boutonniere and then attach it with hot glue, or you can tie a small bow with the ribbon to secure it to the stem.

Consider a pig tail finish. To add some extra style to the boutonniere you can create a big tail with the stem of the boutonniere. Instead of cutting the stem to one inch (2.5 cm), leave the stem longer. Then wrap the stem around a pencil. Pull the pencil out and you will be left with a spiral tail, like a pig tail.

Add a boutonniere pin. Once your succulent boutonniere is complete use a long pearl pin to attach the boutonniere to the suit jacket. Be careful when attaching the boutonniere because you do not want to get poked by the pin.

Keep the boutonniere fresh. A succulent boutonniere can keep for up to a week in a warm and brightly lit room. Avoiding keeping your succulent boutonnieres in the refrigerator. This can actually damage them. If they begin to droop you can spray them with a light mist of water, although this may not be necessary. You can also plant the succulents following your event, as a permanent reminder of your special day.