Everything You Need to Know About Flowering Branches

I love bringing flowering branches into our home. It’s such a wonderful way to bring the outdoors in and add color and a beautiful scent to any room.

It is almost time to consider adding flowering branches into your home. Every winter/ spring I add blooming buds to our home because they are gorgeous and easy to find. I found these yellow Forsythia branches at our local grocery store!

Where to Find Flowering Branches

There are basically two different ways to find these beautiful branches for your home. You can buy them or find them.

Buy Them

Although they are a specialty item, this is the time of year to find flowering branches at Trader Joe’s and your local grocery store.

You can also find them at Farmers Markets and a Flower Mart. When I was at the Los Angeles flower mart last weekend, I saw at least five different types of branches.

Find Them

The first place you should look for flowering branches is your own yard. A lot of us have flowering trees in our yard and I just love bringing some of these branches inside.

You might also have seen some in your neighborhood. If you find some elsewhere, just be sure to ask first before you cut!

Here is a list of very popular flowering trees and shrubs. The numbers in the chart below indicate the approximate number of weeks that the branches will take to flower after they are brought indoors. Of course, if they are already blooming the timing doesn’t matter.

My friend Ellen @featherglass has the most gorgeous flowering branches in her home. Check out her stunning feed on Instagram.

How To Force Branches to Bloom

There is a chance you might find some branches that aren’t yet in bloom. Fortunately, there are some tricks to get them to bloom sooner than “they had planned”. These tips will also help your flowering branches last as long as possible.

1. If you aren’t sure about flowering shrubs and branches, read this blog post about the 11 Shrubs That Flower in Early Spring.
2. Most flowering shrubs need regular pruning for better growth. So don’t hesitate to cut them! You will have more luck with branches that have large flower buds. Just be sure to cut them with a very strong pair of pruning sheers for a fresh cut.
3. The best time to cut flowering branches from your garden is in February or March, although you can start as early as January in some regions. Ideally, you can cut them after your trees and branches have had at least six weeks of chilling.
4. Look for branches that have lots of buds. Ideally, you want ones that have a few buds that are starting to bloom.
5. Pick them on a mild day (above freezing) as milder temperatures ease the transition for the branches when brought inside to warmer temperatures.
6. Cut branches on the diagonal and use sharp pruning shears.
7. Make a 1″ – 2″ slit in the bottom of each stem and then “bruise” (or smash) them with a hammer. This will help water to penetrate the branch.
8. Once inside, place the branches in a vase with warm water.

My friend Kathy at r.house__ always has flowering blooms in her home. You definitely want to check out her Instagram because you will not believe her home! It’s gorgeous.

9. Keep your branches in a cool room (about 65 degrees Fahrenheit) and away from direct sunlight. Until the buds show color, change the water daily.

10. Pussy willows could bloom in a few days while other blooms such as forsythia, lilacs, and quince may take a few weeks.

11. The blooms should last about two weeks but the cooler the room, the longer they will last.

There is one more option for you to consider to have flowering branches in your home. You can make them!

I made these cherry blossoms out of tissue paper.

 

 

I also made some faux cherry blossom branches for our Waco home.

My girlfriends and I went into the backyard, in the dark, and clipped a few branches off of one of our trees!

I also made these yellow/gold paper flower branches.

 

 

My friend Janine from Happy Happy Nester made these unbelievable tissue paper pink blossoms. She has a complete tutorial on her blog post.

 

 

 

Whether you buy, find or make your flowering blossoms, they are a fabulous addition to your home. Especially during the cold and wintery months.

Pin the image below to your Spring or Spring decor boards on Pinterest (just click the Pin button in the top left corner). You can also follow along with me on Pinterest!

For more real-time updates, follow me on Instagram @My100YearOldHome