Caring for your Antique Bloom

Amaranthus is a thirsty, fast-drinking flower, so keep the vase generously filled and check the water level each day rather than every few. Its stems are soft and slightly fleshy, which means they bruise easily at the cut, so trim a centimetre on a clean diagonal with a sharp blade and avoid crushing them. Strip any foliage or lower tassels that would sit below the waterline, as the dense plumes foul the water quickly and cloud it within a day or two. Set the arrangement somewhere cool and out of direct sun, and give the long draping trails room to fall naturally so their sculptural weight stays the focus.

A note on your specific blooms

  • Amaranthus — Recut the stems at an angle and keep the water shallow, as amaranthus drinks heavily and the lower stem softens quickly when submerged too deep.

How long your flowers last

Built almost entirely around amaranthus, this arrangement holds for a realistic 7–10 days in the home. Because the bouquet is a single-botanical study rather than a mix, the whole piece ages at one graceful pace, with the youngest, most upright tassels staying taut longest while the lowest, fully open trails are the first to soften and drop their fine seed. Amicis selects stems with firm, well-coloured plumes precisely so the draping form keeps its weight through the second week rather than collapsing early. The single most useful habit is to top up the vase with fresh water daily, since amaranthus drinks steadily and its long tassels fade fastest once the level drops.

The story behind these flowers

A closer look at the blooms gathered into this arrangement.

Amaranthus

Origin

Tropical Americas (Andes & Mesoamerica)

Cultivated since

For thousands of years by Andean & Mesoamerican peoples

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Immortality, unfading love & endurance

Grown across the Americas for millennia as both grain and ornament, amaranthus is best known for its long crimson tassels that spill downward in soft, trailing ropes. Its name comes from the Greek for unfading, a nod to blooms that hold colour and form even as they dry. In an arrangement it adds movement and weight, draping over the edge of a vessel to break a clean silhouette and lend an Amicis piece an unhurried, sculptural fall.