Can you press or dry orchids for wall display?

[quietmorning]

I tend to press or dry flowers that are meaningful to me to keep - either in a flat (pressed) picture frame to hang on the wall or a dried arrangement. Usually I press them to put them on the wall. Looking at the petals of my Phal, I'm guessing I probably can't dry them - but are they pressable? Has anyone ever tried? What were your results if you have? Maybe use herbarium sheets?

Thanks!

[Grandma M]

I have never done it myself, but I have saved many phal blossoms for a friend. She puts them into some kind of press and uses the to make beautiful greeting cards.

Marilyn

[quietmorning]

Originally Posted by Grandma M

I have never done it myself, but I have saved many phal blossoms for a friend. She puts them into some kind of press and uses the to make beautiful greeting cards.

Marilyn

Thank you, Marilyn! I was afraid they would turn brown and awful looking like the magnolia and the camillia because the petals are so much thicker than the run of the mill flower garden flower.

I'm wanting to press some of the flowers from the orchid my daughter sent me for mother's day and send her a pressed arrangement as a thank you.

Heh. . . now I just have to get over the thought of taking a knife to my orchid!! I'm such a wimp.

[neb]

I have seen them freeze dried before. They were still 3D and the color was bright they were just allot smaller. It would be hard to do that at home but you could get it done professionally.

[Weed Girl]

check out Microfleur microwave flower press - dried flowers.

I purchased their Microfleur Max Microwave Flower Press and love it.

You can also check out Oshibana on the internet.

Have fun!

[quietmorning]

Originally Posted by neb

I have seen them freeze dried before. They were still 3D and the color was bright they were just allot smaller. It would be hard to do that at home but you could get it done professionally.

I wonder if the chemicals I used to use when I was younger would work to 'freeze' dry them. . .they aren't actually frozen, but they do the same thing.

A dried orchid arrangement would be stunning!

Thanks!

[quietmorning]

Originally Posted by Weed Girl

check out Microfleur microwave flower press - dried flowers.

I purchased their Microfleur Max Microwave Flower Press and love it.

You can also check out Oshibana on the internet.

Have fun!

Thanks, Weed Girl, I checked out the site, but didn't see a price listing - are they expensive? This looks like a really good option, I live in a fairly humid area and pressing really risks mold. This would take care of that with out any issue at all.

[flhiker]

Originally Posted by quietmorning

Thanks, Weed Girl, I checked out the site, but didn't see a price listing - are they expensive? This looks like a really good option, I live in a fairly humid area and pressing really risks mold. This would take care of that with out any issue at all.

I was wondering the same thing about pressing orchid flowers. I looked up one of there distributors here in the States and they are selling them for 35.00 and 50.00.
The Microfleur Flower Press

Like anything I want to buy I check eBay and they do have them too.

[quietmorning]

Originally Posted by flhiker

I was wondering the same thing about pressing orchid flowers. I looked up one of there distributors here in the States and they are selling them for 35.00 and 50.00.
The Microfleur Flower Press

Like anything I want to buy I check eBay and they do have them too.

Thanks, Dave! That's so reachable! Yay!

[Weed Girl]

I bought the large press and a large and small 'glue' and with shipping etc. it was about $80.00. there are some articles online that will tell you how to make your own press, but I loved getting what I knew would work.