Some flowers are beloved for their delicacy and lightness, the feeling that you could ruffle them with your breath. But any flower-lover knows that sometimes, a thin-stemmed flower just won’t cut it: when you need a flower that will stand up tall in a garden, shine in a bouquet, or just offer a nice balance between stalk and petals, you need a flower with a thick stem.
In this article, we’ll break down four of the very best flowers with thick stems to help you brainstorm for a garden, floral arrangement, bouquet, or other flower needs.
Lily
One of the most beautiful thick-stemmed flowers out there is the lovely lily.
A late-summer flower that blooms into the autumn, lilies are notable for having an almost otherworldly beauty—once their petals open, they form a beautiful starlike pattern that frames their elongated stamen. The petals themselves, which can appear in red, gold, pink, or more, are often dotted with a pattern that helps insects locate the pollen inside.
Lilies have a versatile beauty that’s rare in most flowers. On one hand, they’re right at home in any formal event or classical garden—but on the other hand, lilies can impart their beauty to any setting, infusing the space with an air of mystique and tender beauty.
In addition, despite their delicate appearance, lilies are relatively low-maintenance flowers. All they need is sunlight, water, and healthy soil. A nota bene, however: though you can cut off a lily’s stem and allow it to grow back the next season, do not remove the petals until they have died, as the petals protect the plant bulb.
Dahlia
The next item on our list of flowers with thick stems is another flower that fills gardens with baroque delight during the summer and fall months: the dahlia.
Dahlias are most noteworthy for their dense, almost explosive-looking blooms—their petals cluster incredibly close together as they spring forth from the center of the flower in a sunburst pattern, looking almost like organic fireworks.
Once cut, dahlias can bring tremendous visual density to any floral display, with their petals turning up the aesthetic volume of their surroundings. This makes them excellent for potted centerpieces and bouquets in outdoor weddings.
Like the humble (and decidedly less floral) tomato, dahlias are remarkably easy to grow, even more than lilies. To cultivate them, simply ensure they have a home in warm soil free from the competition (though you may find it challenging to grow dahlias in incredibly hot, dry climates). Water them around twice a week, watch out for any collapse, and before you know it, you’ll have beautiful flowers on your hands.
Shasta Daisy
Many daisies are noteworthy for their thick stems, though the daisy family is so enormous (with relatives including, in fact, the dahlia) that we can only pick one. We’ve picked the shasta daisy.
The shasta daisy is pretty much the perfect embodiment of the daisy: it is a sturdy, simple, thick-stemmed flower with radiant white petals and smiling yellow centers. This aggressive (some prefer enthusiastic) plant is remarkably strong, and able to grow around three feet high and a foot wide.
As a cut flower, the shasta daisy is a specimen like no other. Its creator, Luther Burbank, cultivated it to be a cut flower before he introduced the flower in 1901. Since then, millions around the world have enjoyed the delights of cut daisies.
Tulips
The final item on our list is the tulip.
Its famous cuplike shape is recognized worldwide, especially in its association with the massive tulip gardens of the Netherlands.
Their sturdiness makes tulips incredibly easy to grow in starter gardens, and their perennial life cycle means you can view their exuberant beauty for years to come—even when you cut them!
Conclusion
With their general low-maintenance lifestyles and incredible beauty, flowers with thick stems are an excellent addition to gardens, display pieces, and bouquets everywhere. So what are you waiting for? Start planting!
You may also be interested in finding out more about the meaning of spider lilies.