Question
I received a boquet of calla lilies from my boyfriend and i absolutely love them.  I was wondering if there was a certain way i had to dry or preserve them.  i was hoping that there was some way to even keep them from discoloring so much so i could put them in a shadow box or something.  i know that for my corsages i just spray them with hairspray but im afraid of ruinig the calla lilies.  thank you!

Answer
Hi,

I am afraid that Callas are one of the most difficult flowers to preserve successfully.  The only way I would attempt it would be to go to a craft store and purchase a container of sillica (the same dehydration beads you find in tiny packages in shoes and accessories).  In a cardboard box, put down a layer of the sillica, then the flowers, and cover completely with more sillica.  Leave it to dry for a minimum of 72 hours.  While I am not entirely confident you'll be delighted with the results, it's the only way to give it a fair shot with that particular plant material.

Good Luck!