How to Preserve Lei as a Keepsake

A fresh flower lei can hold deep meaning, especially for occasions like weddings, graduations, anniversaries, memorials, or a first trip to Hawaii. If you want to keep your lei as a lasting keepsake, there are several ways to preserve a flower lei, including drying or pressing. While leis won't last forever, preserving flowers can help you enjoy the memories for years to come. 

For best results, preserve your orchid lei while the flowers are still fresh and before they begin to wilt, bruise, or discolor. Refrigerating the lei briefly can help slow the wilting process before the preservation. Air drying is a simple option for orchids, while pressing works well for individual orchid blooms. For a more natural looking keepsake, silica gel can help preserve the flower’s shape and appearance.  

Key Takeaways

• Begin preserving your lei while the flowers are still relatively fresh rather than waiting until they have fully wilted.
• If you need more time, keep the lei refrigerated according to the proper lei care instructions until you are ready to preserve it.
• Air-drying is one of the easiest ways to preserve an entire orchid lei.
• Pressing individual blossoms creates flat flowers that work well in frames, scrapbooks, shadow boxes, and other displays.
• Silica gel can help orchids maintain more of their three-dimensional shape than traditional air-drying.
• Never freeze a fresh orchid lei. Freezing can damage the flower tissue and cause discoloration and deterioration once the flowers thaw.
• Expect some change in color, texture, and shape. A preserved lei will not look the same as it did when fresh.

What Should You Do Before Preserving a Lei?

Good flower lei preservation starts before the flowers begin to dry. 

If your lei was shipped, unpack it as soon as possible after it arrives. Keeping fresh flowers compressed inside their packaging can trap heat and moisture, which may cause wilting and put additional pressure on delicate petals. Properly Handling your lei as soon as it arrives can help keep the flowers fresh and in better conditions for preservations. 

Gently inspect the strand for excess moisture, damaged blossoms, or wilted sections. If you’re saving the lei for an upcoming event, follow The Orchid Lei Company's lei care and storage guidance until you are ready to wear or preserve it.

Once you are finished wearing the lei, begin the preservation process as soon as practical. This can help maintain the flowers’ appearance and prevent further wilting or discoloration.

Before beginning, gather the supplies required for your chosen method. Depending on how you want the finished keepsake to look, that may include:

• A drying rack or hanger
• Absorbent paper
• A heavy book or flower press
• Silica gel
• An airtight container
• A shadow box or picture frame for the finished flowers

Make sure the flowers are not excessively wet before you begin preserving your lei by drying or pressing the blooms. Excess moisture can increase the risk of browning, deterioration, and mold, which may damage the flower before the preservation process is complete. 

How Do You Keep a Lei Fresh Before Preserving It?

Refrigerate flower leis in a plastic bag in the warmer part of the fridge, such as the produce drawer, for temporary storage. This helps keep the flowers cool without exposing them to freezing temperatures. Refrigeration can be useful if you plan to wear the lei and preserve it later, but it should not replace or significantly delay the drying process. Orchid flowers are more likely to produce better results when they are dried or pressed. 

For additional information about storing a fresh lei before an event, The Orchid Lei Company's lei FAQ and care guide covers refrigeration, shipping, and general orchid lei care.

What Is the Best Way to Preserve a Lei?

No single method works best for every keepsake. The right approach depends primarily on whether you want to preserve the entire strand, individual blossoms, or the flowers' three-dimensional shape.

How to Air-Dry an Orchid Lei

Air-drying is one of the easiest ways to preserve an orchid lei without specialized equipment. It is especially useful when you want to keep the strand largely intact.

To dry an orchid lei:

1. Gently remove excess surface moisture from the flowers.
2. Place or hang the lei in a dry, shaded area with good airflow.
3. Keep it away from direct sunlight, which can accelerate fading.
4. Make sure air can circulate around the flowers rather than leaving the strand compressed against another surface.
5. Leave the lei undisturbed until the flowers feel completely dry.

Drying time depends on flower thickness, airflow, temperature, and humidity, and usually takes one to two weeks. Air-dried orchids darken, become brittle, and shrink as moisture leaves, which is normal. This method preserves the lei's form better than pressing but doesn't retain the fresh look. Keep air-dried flowers in a dry, dark, well-ventilated space to prevent fading and help moisture escape.

Can You Press a Lei in a Book?

Yes, but it is usually better to press individual orchid blossoms rather than placing an entire thick lei inside a book.

Pressing creates a flat flower you can later frame, add to a scrapbook, place in a card, or incorporate into another keepsake.

To press orchid blossoms:

1. Carefully remove the flowers you want to preserve from the lei.
2. Make sure they are dry and free of excess moisture.
3. Arrange the flowers between sheets of clean, absorbent paper.
4. Place the paper inside a heavy book or flower press.
5. Add additional weight on top if needed.
6. Leave the flowers undisturbed until completely dry.

Depending on the thickness and moisture content of the blossoms, pressing may take several weeks. Thicker flowers can be more difficult to press than thin petals because moisture may remain trapped inside. Separating individual petals can produce better results when a full orchid is too bulky.

Pressed flowers naturally lose their three-dimensional shape, but that makes them particularly useful for framed displays and other flat keepsakes. University extension guidance similarly recommends pressing flowers between absorbent material and notes that thicker flowers may suit other preservation methods.

Can You Preserve Orchid Flowers With Silica Gel?

Silica gel preserves the orchid's original shape by surrounding the blossom and gradually removing moisture, making it ideal for display in shadow boxes or as keepsakes. 

Place a layer of silica gel in an airtight container, position the flower on top, then gently cover it with more gel until the blossom is completely surrounded. Seal the container and allow the flower to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This method generally preserves the flower’s three-dimensional shape better than pressing, making it a good option for flower leis. 

Can You Put a Lei in Resin?

Resin can preserve lei flowers for a  long time, but the blossom should be completely dried before embedding. Using fresh flowers can trap moisture inside the resin, leading to discoloration, browning, or deterioration over time. For the best results, air-dry or silica-dry the blossoms first, then embed them in resin once they are fully dry. 

Resin preservation needs more equipment and prep than pressing or air-drying. For special occasions like weddings or memorials, some prefer professional casting of dried flowers instead of DIY.

Should You Spray a Dried Lei With Lacquer?

A light protective coating can reduce shedding and protect brittle dried flowers, but apply it only after the lei is completely dry. Spraying too soon can trap moisture and increase the risk of deterioration. Test the sealant on a less visible blossom first, as some products may darken petals or change their natural finish. For a simpler option, display the dried lei in a shadow box to protect it from handling without applying a spray. 

What Mistakes Can Ruin a Preserved Lei?

Most unsuccessful lei keepsakes are the result of excess moisture, poor timing or unrealistic expectations about how well the flower will retain its original appearance. 

Waiting Until the Lei Is Completely Wilted

Flowers that are heavily wilted, bruised, or deteriorating cannot be restored to their original condition through preservation. For the best results, begin the preservation process while the blossoms are still reasonably fresh and firm. 

Freezing the Lei

Do not freeze a fresh orchid lei as a preservation shortcut. The Orchid Lei Company specifically recommends keeping fresh leis out of the freezer because excessively cold temperatures can damage the delicate flowers.

Drying Flowers in Direct Sunlight

Direct sunlight can accelerate fading and discoloration. A shaded or dark space with good airflow is generally better for air-drying orchid lei flowers while helping preserve their natural color. 

Preserving Wet Flowers

Excess moisture can interfere with pressing and drying and may encourage mold growth. Make sure the flowers are dry on the surface before beginning the preservation process. 

Expecting the Original Color to Remain Unchanged

Natural flowers change as they lose moisture. Purple orchids may deepen in color, white blossoms can develop cream or tan tones, and petals usually become more delicate.

That variation is part of preserving natural flowers, not necessarily an indication that something went wrong.

The Orchid Lei Company also notes that its fresh lei naturally vary in hue and appearance because each strand is made with real flowers. Visitors can see examples of handcrafted lei and locally made keepsakes at the company's Waikiki lei shop, Hale O Na Lei.

How Can You Display a Preserved Lei?

Once a lei is completely dry, keeping it protected from moisture, sunlight, dust, and frequent handling will help it last longer.

Popular ways to display preserved lei include:

• Placing the entire dried strand in a shadow box
• Framing several pressed orchid blossoms
• Adding pressed petals to a wedding or graduation scrapbook
• Displaying flowers alongside photographs, invitations, or event programs
• Keeping individual dried blossoms in a memory box
• Incorporating completely dried flowers into a resin keepsake

For an especially important event, consider saving several flowers using different methods. For example, the complete strand can be air-dried while several of the best individual blossoms are pressed for a frame.

Will a Preserved Lei Look Exactly Like the Original?

No preservation method can keep a fresh lei completely unchanged. As flowers dry, they naturally lose moisture, which can change their texture, color, volume, and flexibility. Pressing flattens the blossoms, while air-drying preserves more of their three-dimensional shape but can make them more brittle

The fragrance will also fade as the flower dries. For that reason, lei preservation is best viewed as a way to preserve the flowers and the memory they represent and not as a way to keep the lei looking and smelling permanently fresh. 

FAQ

How long should you wait before preserving a lei?

Start preserving the lei as soon as possible after you finish wearing or displaying it. Refrigeration can temporarily slow wilting, but beginning the preservation process while the flowers are still fresh and in good condition generally produces a better-quality keepsake.

What is the easiest way to preserve a whole lei?

Air-drying is usually the simplest way to keep the strand intact. Place or hang the lei somewhere dry, shaded, and well-ventilated and allow the flowers to dry completely.

Can you preserve a lei in a book?

You can press individual flowers between sheets of absorbent paper inside a heavy book. Pressing an entire orchid lei at once is less practical because the overlapping of thicker plant material can trap moisture, making it harder for the flowers to dry properly.

Can you freeze a lei to preserve it?

Don't freeze fresh orchid leis. Freezing damages plant cells and can leave the flowers discolored or deteriorated after thawing. Refrigerate the lei for short-term storage, then dry or press it for long-term preservation.

How long does it take to dry an orchid lei?

Expect approximately one to several weeks depending on humidity, airflow, flower thickness, and the preservation method. The flowers should feel completely dry before you frame, seal, spray, or store them.

What can you do with a preserved lei?

You can display dried or pressed lei flowers in shadow boxes, picture frames, scrapbooks, memory boxes or other keepsakes connected to the event where you received the lei. This can turn the preserved flowers into a lasting reminder of the occasion. 

Preserve the Memory Behind Your Lei

A fresh lei may only last for a limited time, but the flowers do not have to disappear with it. Air-drying an entire strand, pressing individual orchids, or carefully drying select blossoms for a shadow box can turn a lei from a wedding, graduation, memorial, or Hawaii trip into a keepsake you can cherish for years. 

Starting with a well-made, properly cared-for lei gives you the best foundation for preservation. The Orchid Lei Company handcrafts fresh orchid lei in Honolulu for celebrations, gifts, and events in Hawaii and across the country. For large ceremonies, graduations, and other group events, the company also offers wholesale lei options for qualifying orders.