How to Use Glycerin to Preserve Palm Fronds

Preserved plant materials allow you to create long-lasting flower arrangements for use around the home. Unlike dried materials, glycerine-preserved palm fronds remain soft and retain much of their living beauty. Dyes add natural or unnatural colour to the fronds, allowing you to further integrate them into your home design. Choose only unblemished, attractive fronds for preserving, as any discolouration or damage becomes more visible after the glycerine process.

Dissolve 1 cup glycerine into 2 ½ cups hot tap water. Stir slowly so air bubbles do not form.

Combine 1 tsp floral dye with ½ cup hot water. Stir until combined. If you prefer not to dye the fronds, add an additional ½ cup water to the glycerine solution.

Mix the glycerine solution, dye solution and ½ tsp citric acid. Stir slowly until the solutions are thoroughly combined.

Weigh the palm fronds on a food or postal scale. Add 1 liquid oz. of the preserving solution to a tall glass vase for every ounce of palm frond you are preserving.

Place the palm fronds in the vase so that the cut end of the stem is submerged in the preserving solution. Set the vase in a dimly lit area until the fronds fully absorb the solution, which usually takes between five and seven days.

Remove the fronds from the solution and spread them out on a paper towel. Place them in a dry, warm and brightly lit location for five days if you added dye to the preservative solution.

Hang the fronds upside down in a dark place after sun drying or if you did not use dye. Allow them to dry upside down for two weeks, then display as desired.