Have you ever seen roses that remain fresh after a year? In Madrid shops such bouquets are sold for thousands of euros, but the secret of their longevity was revealed by Carmen Garcia, the owner of the oldest flower shop in Barcelona.
In an interview with Vogue España she admitted:
"All you need is sea salt and a full moon."
The method, described in the journal Botanical Science , is based on a preservation technique used by Benedictine monks in the 12th century. Flowers are cut on a moonlit night, soaked in a solution of water and Himalayan salt (1 tablespoon per liter) for 24 hours, and then dried in the shade under a canopy.
But why exactly the full moon? Scientists from the University of Granada have found out that during this phase, plants accumulate the maximum amount of sugars in their stems.
Salt draws moisture out of them, leaving the structure intact.
An experiment in 2023 showed that carnations treated in this way retained their shape and color for 18 months. In comparison, traditional drying gives results for 6–8 months.
The main nuance is the choice of salt. Carmen uses only crystals from the coast of Cadiz, rich in magnesium.
"They act as a natural glue, holding the petals together," she explains.
If you don’t have this salt, a mixture of sea soda and baking soda (3:1) will do.
But florists are silent about this method, because it deprives them of regular customers.
"Why buy fresh flowers every week when you can buy one bouquet forever?" complains the owner of a chain of flower shops in Valencia.
Meanwhile, Spanish brides are increasingly ordering “eternal” bouquets, which they pass down as family heirlooms.
Danger? Too much salt makes the petals brittle. Professor Juan Martinez advises to strictly follow the proportions and not to use metal containers, as they oxidize the solution.
