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    Home » Gardening & Outdoors » Planters / Containers

    How to paint hydrangeas

    Published: Jul 5, 2023 · Modified: Aug 17, 2023 by Susan Moncrieff · This post may contain affiliate links · 23 Comments

    I love hydrangeas!  I enjoy preserving them so I can enjoy them inside during the winter.  Dried hydrangeas are great to use for various crafts.  A few years ago I discovered how easy it is to spray paint hydrangeas in various different colors.

    blue lantern with a large vase of blue hydrangeas

    There are so many fun colors to spray paint these flowers. I share many ideas with examples below.

    Red, white and blue patriotic flowers

    red white and blue painted hydrangeas in a white pitcher.

    This is my red, white, and blue-themed pitcher that gets placed on my blue entry cabinet during patriotic holidays. I still have a collection of white pitchers to display florals in. Here is how I made my own faux ironstone pitchers.

    When to cut for drying

    Mother Nature takes care of most of the drying. In the late summer or sometimes early fall, hydrangea flowers start looking and feeling dry. This is the time to cut some pretty stems to finish drying.

    Table of contents

    • Red, white and blue patriotic flowers
    • When to cut for drying
    • How to preserve hydrangeas for the winter
    • Tip for making wreaths
    • What hydrangea shrubs look like
    • Spray painting silver for Christmas
    • Red and green Christmas theme
    • Blue painted hydrangeas
    • FAQs
    • Ideas for using dried hydrangeas

    How to preserve hydrangeas for the winter

    hydrangeas placed neatly in a white vase.

    Cut the stems once the flowers start looking and feeling dry (early fall), strip off the leaves, place them in a vase, and leave them alone for a few days. Notice that I did NOT say you should place water in the vase. Some people do, but I find there is no benefit to putting water in the vase when you are trying to dry hydrangea flowers. Sometimes I leave a couple of leaves near the top (like in the vase above)

    These flowers dry beautifully in their natural state, and I use them as such sometimes. The wreath below is being made with hydrangeas that are starting to dry.

    Tip for making wreaths

    When making a wreath, use hydrangeas that are not completely dry. That way, the stems are more pliable, and the flowers don't crumble as much when handled.

    Here is a post where I wrote about my hydrangea adventures when I moved into my house and things I've used hydrangeas for - including this wreath.

    dried hydrangeas being put on a grapevine wreath form.

    What hydrangea shrubs look like

    If you don't have any growing in your yard, don't be shy about asking friends or neighbors if they are able to share. Many traditional hydrangeas, like Annabelle hydrangeas, get cut down in many parts of the country.

    This is what the hydrangea shrubs look like. (I know some of you aren't gardeners!). These are earlier in the summer. As we get closer to fall, they start getting a little green as the flowers get drier.

    Big Annabelle hydrangea shrub with large white mophead flowers.

    Below is how the flowers start turning light green.

    A beautiful hydrangea flower.
    A beautiful hydrangea flower.

    I love dried hydrangea and have some naturally dried ones too. But here is how I sprayed mine (really, it's super simple!). First, I cut down a whole bunch. Take more than you need!

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    Hydrangeas just cut.
    Hydrangeas just cut.

    Spray painting silver for Christmas

    These flowers look so pretty painted silver for Christmas! All you need to use is a metallic silver spray paint.

    Starting to spray a hydrangea silver.
    Starting to spray a hydrangea silver.

    Below is a closeup of what the silver-painted hydrangeas look like. Aren't they beautiful?

    spray paint hydrangea
    A silver spray-painted hydrangea

    They actually spray paint very well. And look all silvery and sparkly. Make sure to pick up the flower by the stem and spray the underside of the flower. The silver-painted flowers look beautiful when you get paint coverage on both sides of the flower petals.

    I haven't spray painted these flowers gold, but I'm sure they would be beautiful!!

    Red and green Christmas theme

    I couldn't help myself, and one year I did Christmas colors. Some pretty red (more burgundy) and a lime green worked perfectly. It was a little more vivid than the natural hydrangea colors, but that was what I was going for.

    Starting to spray paint my red hydrangeas.
    Spray Painted Red Hydrangea

    I didn't spray the red and green ones as thoroughly. I think some of the natural color looking through keeps them looking a little more real.

    My red and green spray painted hydrangeas.
    My red and green spray-painted hydrangeas.

    Here is the spray paint I used for the red and the green.

    spray paint hydrangeas

    Honestly, these turned out way better than I expected. I totally LOVE them!

    Here is the bunch of silver ones.

    Silver hydrangeas.

    Blue painted hydrangeas

    Last year, I painted some of my hydrangeas blue!  They look gorgeous as an accent in my living room. I have tons of hydrangeas but no blue ones. So I made myself some!

    I also wrote a post showing how I painted hydrangeas blue, keeping them more natural.

    blue lantern with a large vase of blue hydrangeas

    FAQs

    Can I use regular spray paint?

    Yes, you can. I use leftover cans of spray paint from other projects all the time.

    Why do some people use hairspray?

    I used to. The theory behind the hairspray is it will stop the hydrangea flower petals from falling. I don't really find it helpful, and to me, it's just another step.
    TIP - If you do want to use hairspray on the flowers before spray painting, buy unscented hair spray! Cheap-scented hairspray has a really strong smell.

    How long do the spray-painted flowers last?

    I've had some that I've kept and used for 3 years (the silver ones!). After a while, they get dusty, and it's just time for a new batch.

    Can you spray paint mums?

    Many people do spray paint their dead mums in the fall. I haven't yet, but I'm sure it works, and I probably will this fall!

    Ideas for using dried hydrangeas

    • candles flickering in a wooden lantern
      Fall Lantern with dried hydrangeas.
    • Partially finished dried hydrangea wreath.
      What to do with dried hydrangeas
    • fall planter with grasses, mums and pumpkins
      Fall Planter ideas!
    • strawberry vanilla hydrangea wreath. A pretty pink and white alternating wreath.
      Hydrangea wreath with vanilla strawberry hydrangeas

    Pin this idea to your Pinterest board!

    blue lantern with a large vase of blue hydrangeas

    **Originally published Aug. 19, 2014.

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    1. Betty

      August 11, 2023 at 5:30 am

      I have hydrangeas that I cut eight years and they still look wonderful. They have been in a vase on top of my China cabinet where they do not get touched. They are limelights.

      Reply
    2. Bonnie J.

      August 18, 2022 at 11:23 am

      years ago, I spray painted my left over bloom on my bushes and put lights on them for the Christmas holiday ! I got rave reviews and I will have to say they were beautiful! I live in West Virginia so needless to say when the snow came it was even more beautiful

      Reply
    3. Kristel

      December 05, 2020 at 9:03 am

      Hello I was wondering if they can be spray painted will still on the bush ? I have some dead and dried flowers still on the bush and decorated the bush with blue lights. I would love to paint the flowers silver but don’t want to cause any damage to the bush itself.

      Reply
    4. Lori

      November 27, 2019 at 2:23 pm

      I love this idea and I'm going to do this soon. I have a ton of them dried but they got really dark brown bc I waited too long, but I think a pretty burgundy, or gold might really work nicely.
      Ty for showing your steps and idea! Yours are lovely!

      Reply
    5. Debbie

      November 05, 2019 at 7:46 am

      What kind of spray paint do you recommend

      Reply
      • momcrieff

        November 17, 2019 at 4:05 pm

        I usually buy Rustoleum spray paint - because it's available where I shop and it's never failed me yet!

        Reply
    6. Deb Pape

      August 18, 2019 at 9:30 pm

      Can these be used in a bridal bouquet or will they fall apart? What is the best way to preserve them?

      Reply
    7. Julie A Bohanick

      March 11, 2018 at 11:41 am

      Hi, I absolutely love your idea for spraying my hydrangeas. Only problem is I actually love the color of my green and blue ones when alive and when dried. I'd like to keep the color they are but want to spray something on them to preserve them a bit more, not shirt spray more of a matte. Also to make them less fragile . What do you suggest?
      Ps. I'm so stealing this idea for around Christmas when I'm ok with spraying them!!! Spring is cominf though and I love the natural colors . I'll look forward to hearing backing from you!

      Reply
      • momcrieff

        March 25, 2018 at 11:40 am

        Hi Julie,
        Thanks for visiting my site and asking a comment! I have actually sprayed my natural dried hydrangeas with some hairspray (unscented). It really does help the flowers not drop and doesn't change the appearance of the dried flowers if you use a thin coat of the hairspray.

        Reply
    8. Anonymous

      August 03, 2017 at 3:26 pm

      I just put some up to dry and I think I am going to try spray painting some to decorate a Christmas tree with. I think various colors as huge balls sticking out of a big Christmas tree would be beautiful.

      Reply
    9. Sarah Gasser

      January 10, 2017 at 7:44 pm

      I am looking to do this for my wedding for bridesmaid bouquets.. could you give me any advice on this?? How long will they las? When to do it? Etc? Please !! You can email me?? Not sure if I get a notification if you respond??

      Reply
    10. Melanie

      December 08, 2014 at 3:12 am

      Absolutely love this idea!

      Reply
    11. susan strohl

      November 04, 2014 at 7:07 pm

      Lovely, I am going to do bright white with silver glitter.

      Reply
    12. Doug Coates

      September 16, 2014 at 1:10 pm

      Love your post. We harvested about 500 blooms last year, but didn't paint them until after they'd dried for 4 months. It worked, but it wasn't easy, seeing as how they were all incredible delicate by that point. I was searching for information on painting them fresh or dried, and you provided that information. Thanks for your help

      Reply
      • momcrieff

        September 16, 2014 at 6:41 pm

        Glad you liked my post! They are a little fragile once they dry, but with a little careful handling, they last for years. You sure harvested a lot of blooms!!

        Reply
    13. Gina Wamsley

      September 12, 2014 at 8:12 am

      Good morning, Susan! I love this idea so much! I never even thought of doing this, but they look FANTASTIC!! I'm featuring your post today at "Our Favorite Things Pinterest Party"!! I'd love for you to come link up again. 🙂

      Blessings,
      Gina @ Gina's Craft Corner

      Reply
    14. Pam@over50feeling40

      August 21, 2014 at 2:45 pm

      I did not know this would work! Thanks for sharing with the Thursday Blog Hop!

      Reply
    15. pestep81

      August 20, 2014 at 5:40 am

      Cute idea. I'm getting ready to publish an article about how easy they are to dry. I like using them for Christmas. Never spray painted them better.

      Reply
    16. Beth

      April 25, 2014 at 4:57 pm

      How long do these last? Does the spray paint keep the fresh flowers from decaying?

      Reply
      • momcrieff

        April 25, 2014 at 9:13 pm

        Hi Beth
        The Hydrangeas dry easily. You probably want to strip the leaves and the flower dries fast. I have had some of these for over a year and they still look great!

        Reply
    17. Val Frania

      November 16, 2013 at 2:11 am

      This is great! I had no idea this would work. I spray painted leaves this fall and will use them in my Thanksgiving and Christmas deco. Here's the post: http://lovemydiyhome.com/diy-metalic-leaves/

      Reply
    18. Di

      November 02, 2013 at 1:34 am

      Love this idea! Would never have thought of spraying painting them and as we have some in our garden, I will have a go, thanks!

      Reply
    19. sonjaessen

      November 01, 2013 at 2:22 pm

      Awesome idea! Love this!

      Reply

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    I'm Susan Moncrieff! I love sharing easy recipes, especially those that take less than 30 minutes and have less than 5 ingredients. I'm passionate about gardening and creating flower planters. My home is 100 years old and sometimes you will see it in my posts! It was a true fixer upper and I love it!

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