1. Eternal Flowers
Immortal flowers are made from natural flowers and have the characteristics of non-toxic and harmless. Fresh-keeping flowers are made from real flowers through high-tech production, with the dual characteristics of long-term storage of fake flowers and non-toxic, harmless, and bright colors of real flowers. Moreover, fresh flowers, like dried flowers, have the main characteristics of retaining the tissue and moisture of the flowers themselves, as well as their color. Dry flowers do not contain any moisture inside, and their colors are also different from fresh flowers. Rich in color, it can create colors that are not found in the natural world.
The characteristic of eternal flowers is that they are processed from natural plants and made from cosmetic ingredients, which are harmless to the human body, lower in carbon, and environmentally friendly. Durable, blooming in all seasons, with a shelf life of 3 - 5 years and bright colors. No watering is required, and no daily care is required. Pollen-free, people who are allergic to pollen can also watch it normally.
Also known as preserved flowers or eco-friendly flowers, refers to fresh-cut flowers like roses, carnations, orchids, and hydrangeas that have undergone a series of complex processes including dehydration, decolorization, dyeing, and drying through advanced technology. These processed dried flowers closely resemble fresh flowers in terms of color, shape, posture, and even texture. Preserved flowers not only retain the characteristics of fresh flowers, but also come in a wide range of colors and have various applications. They can maintain the freshness, tenderness, and beauty of flowers for many years, making them an ideal floral product for flower arrangements, home decorations, and celebratory events (Xuan & Lin, 2009; Wang, 2015; Wang et al., 2013) .
2. Production Process
2.1. Material Selection for Eternal Flowers
When collecting materials for immortal flowers, they must be the most beautiful and beautiful flowers. Choose dark series flowers that require fresh and mature flowers, tough texture, and low water content in petals, thick petals, and small- and medium-sized flower types. Attention: After collecting the materials, it is necessary to organize and trim the flower branches in the shortest possible time, and start the next process in a cold chain manner (Niu, 1990; Cheng, 2017; Lu et al., 2008) .
There are three types of commonly used flower materials for immortal flowers.
2.1.1. Block-Shaped Flower Material Used as the Main Flower
Linear flower materials with the goal of expressing the sense of line in the work and decorative filling flower materials to enrich the work, fill in space, and embellish the image. The selection criteria for flower materials are: dark-colored flowers with open and mature, tough texture, low water content in petals, thick, and small flower types. The commonly used clump-shaped flower materials for the main flower include roses, Austin, and Yu Meiren.
2.1.2. Linear Flower Materials That Express the Sense of Line in the Work
Linear flower materials can be selected from leaf or branch materials. The selection criteria for leaf materials are: thick leaves with rough texture, easy to shape and not curl, good ground flexibility, and stiff but not brittle thick leaves. The selection of branches, stems, and other materials is based on good shape and quality, and their use is a prerequisite for selection. Commonly used as linear flower materials include pine and cypress, thousand-day red, asparagus, and Anna.
2.1.3. Decorative Filling Materials Used to Fill the Space and Enrich the Artwork
Commonly used as embellishments and filling materials include evergreen moss, oncidium, small star flower, windmill fruit, and clover flower.
2.2. Dehydration and Decolorization
Completely immerse the arranged flowers in a liquid mixed with methanol and ethanol for dehydration and decolorization, replacing the water and cell contents. Generally, the color is completely removed after 24 hours. After the color has peeled off, move the flowers as quickly as possible to a non-volatile and safe organic liquid such as polyethylene glycol. Generally, soak for 36 hours. It should be noted that the soaking process must be sealed.
2.3. Staining
It is necessary to first remove anthocyanins from the flower cell wall, and then restore the color of the flower using environmentally friendly organic dyes. If you want the flowers to maintain their original color, you need to perform color retention treatment on them, usually through low- or high-temperature decompression, or microwave drying; if you still feel uneasy, you can add substances such as citric acid and sucrose. If you want to create flowers with gradient colors or immortal flowers with special colors, you need to first lighten and transparent the original color of the flowers, which is called fading treatment, and then dye them. When dyeing, remember to choose safe and environmentally friendly dyes (Wang, 1998; Xia & Wu, 2010) .
2.4. Natural Drying
After completing the first few steps, it is necessary to place the flowers in a dry and ventilated place for drying. Be sure to avoid light and dry them in seven days. This step involves drying or natural air drying, but it takes a long time.
2.5. Art Processing
Insert the remaining stems of the immortal flower into the treated flower paste. Generally, the flower stalks of the immortal flower are particularly short, and fine iron wire should be used as a false root to fix the flower material.
Loose flower branches that are too thin require a small bundle to be fixed before use. Pay attention to the fixation principle of flower materials (from bottom to top, from large to small); when arranging flowers, it is also important to be careful not to insert them too tightly, to be fluffy and layered, and not to expose the iron wire outside to avoid affecting the appearance.
General product specifications: length (10 cm - 100 cm), width (10 cm - 100 cm), and height (10 cm - 100 cm). Position the flower material according to the desired shape, fix the position of the flower material, trim off excess parts, and then install them in a glass cover or beautiful gift box.
2.6. Maintenance
1) Do not place in direct sunlight;
2) Do not water or frequently touch petals;
3) Place in a cool and dry place, as heavy moisture can cause changes in the color of the petals. During the rainy season, if the petals appear semi-transparent or light gray mottled, simply place the flowers next to the dehumidifier or in the same closed container with 1 - 2 bags of desiccant for a few days to recover;
4) According to the above careful maintenance, eternal flower can accompany you for a year or more;
5) Flower gift products may change color slightly under the influence of natural factors, which is a normal phenomenon.
Funding
Quality Engineering Construction Project of Guangdong Province (KA2103116 Floriculture, KA23YY055 Floriculture); Cultivation of Model Courses on “Curriculum Thinking and Politics”—Floriculture (Zhongkai KA210315732); Cultivation of Innovative Ability of Graduate Students in Agriculture and Forestry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Its Practices (Zhongkai KA190576107); and Project Support for the 2022 Graduate Education Reform Special Project of Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering (Zhongkai Research No. 11, 2022).