How long does a fresh wreath last outside?

Are you wondering if your fresh wreath will make it all the way to Christmas? Today I’m sharing how long you can expect it to last, which greens last longest, and what you can do to make it last even longer! A fresh wreath usually lasts about 4 to 6 weeks outside in a cool, shady spot, and up to 8 weeks or more where it stays cold all December. In warm weather or full sun, plan on 2 to 3 weeks. What kind of greens it’s made of, when it was cut, and where you hang it change that number more than anything else.

We’ve lived in Texas, Tennessee and now Florida, and I’ve hung a fresh wreath in all three. In Tennessee, one lasted from Thanksgiving to New Year’s without any help. In Florida, on a door that got afternoon sun, I got about two and a half weeks before it looked crunchy. It was the same kind of wreath!

How Long It Lasts, by Where You Hang It

Conditions	How long to expect
Cold (below freezing a lot), shady door	6 to 8 weeks, sometimes longer
Cool (highs in the 40s and 50s), shade or covered porch	4 to 6 weeks
Cool, but in direct sun most of the day	3 to 4 weeks
Warm (highs in the 60s and 70s), shade	2 to 3 weeks
Warm and sunny	2 weeks or less
Behind a glass storm door with sun on it	The fastest way to brown one. Don’t do it!
Indoors, heated house	2 to 4 weeks

These ranges come from wreath farms, extension services and my own doors, and the sources don’t all agree. Some say “three weeks to three months,” which shows you how much conditions matter. If you’re somewhere cold and shady, you’ll be on the long end. If you’re somewhere like Florida, you’ll be on the short end no matter what you do.

A quick note on storm doors: the gap between a glass storm door and your front door traps heat. If the sun hits that glass, the reflected heat can scorch the greenery. Hang a fresh wreath on the outside of the glass instead. I shared every way to do that in how to hang a wreath on a storm door.

Which Greens Last Longest

If you get to choose, this makes a bigger difference than you might expect:

• Firs last longest. Noble fir and Fraser fir especially. They hold their needles even as they dry.
• Cedar, juniper and white pine also last a long time outside.
• Spruce does better outside than inside.
• Balsam fir smells the best (that’s the classic Christmas smell!), but it drops needles sooner than other firs.
• Hemlock drops its needles fast. Skip it.
• Southern magnolia is tough and holds its shape even without water. In warm climates it’s my favorite, because it still looks good after it dries!
• Boxwood is a toss-up. Some sources say it lasts a long time, and others say it’s one of the first to go. In my experience it looks great for a couple of weeks, then gets dull.

A mixed wreath only lasts as long as the weakest green in it. If yours has eucalyptus or holly in it, those usually go first, and you can pull them out and keep the rest up.

Buy It Later Than You Think

How long a wreath lasts starts when it was cut, not when you hung it. A wreath that sat in a hot store for a week already used up a week! So:

• Buy in late November or early December, not the first week of November, especially in a warm climate.
• Ask when it was made if you’re buying at a lot or a stand.
• Check the needles before you buy. Bend one. It should flex, not snap.

If you’re looking for somewhere to buy one, these are the places I’ve actually gotten fresh greenery.

How to Make a Fresh Wreath Last Longer

Step 1. Soak It the First Night

Lay it face down in a tub or a big bucket of cool water overnight before you hang it. This gives the greenery as much water as it can take up before it goes outside.

Step 2. Spray It With Anti-Desiccant

Once it’s dry, coat the front and back with an anti-desiccant spray. It seals moisture in and slows down drying. Don’t use it on cedar, blue spruce or juniper berries, because it can damage the waxy coating that gives them their color.

Step 3. Hang It in Shade

Sun is the number one thing that shortens a wreath’s life. If you have a choice of doors, pick the one that doesn’t get afternoon sun.

Step 4. Mist It Every 2 to 3 Days

Spray the front and back with a spray bottle. In warm weather, do it every day or two.

Step 5. Keep It Away From Heat

That means dryer vents, outdoor heat pump units, and hot lights. If you put lights on it, use LEDs rated for outdoor use.

Step 6. Give It a Mid-Season Soak

If it’s starting to look tired but the needles still bend, take it down and lay it in a tub of room temperature water for a few hours. It can really perk it up!

I shared more detail on all of this in how to keep your greenery fresh.

How to Tell It’s Done

• The needle test. Bend a needle in half. If it snaps instead of bending, it’s dry.
• Brown or crispy tips, especially on the side facing the sun.
• Needles fall when you brush it or close the door.
• The color fades from deep green to gray-green or olive.

Once the needles snap, take it down. A dry wreath can catch fire if it’s near hot lights or any heat source. Throw it away somewhere away from the house and the garage, not on the porch.

How long does your fresh wreath usually last? I hope this helped you get a few extra weeks out of yours! Be sure to post on Instagram and tag me @sugardesignco and tell me what your wreath is made of. I’m always looking for the one that can survive a Florida December!

-Ciera

Made something with this? Tag me @sugardesignco — I love seeing them.