How to Keep Tulips from Drooping | Easy Tulip Trick That Really Works

Tulips are one of spring’s most beloved flowers, but if you’ve ever watched them droop just days after arranging them, you’re not alone. Many tulip lovers wonder: why do tulips droop so quickly? And is there really a way to stop it?

Today, I’m sharing my favorite tulip care tip that I’ve used for years, a quick and easy penny trick that helps keep tulips standing tall and fresh longer. Let’s dive in and save those beautiful blooms!

Part of my Styling Tip series, this quick tulip trick is one of my favorite spring floral fixes, simple, surprising, and vintage-approved.

Why Do Tulips Droop?

Tulips tend to droop in a vase for a few natural reasons. Their stems continue to grow even after being cut, causing the flowers to bend. They’re also sensitive to warmth and light, which can speed up the drooping. If they don’t get enough water, or if bacteria builds up in the vase, your tulips may droop faster than you expect. Thankfully, there’s a vintage floral trick that just might surprise you…

The Penny Trick to Keep Tulips from Drooping

Here’s the secret: drop a clean copper penny into the vase before arranging your tulips. The copper acts as a natural fungicide, helping reduce bacteria in the water and encouraging stronger stems. Use a penny minted before 1982, when pennies still contained mostly copper. Add fresh water, trim the stems at an angle, and keep your tulips away from direct heat or sunlight for the best results.

Find an Old Copper Penny (Not a Shiny New One!)

Time to dig into that old stash of change, you know the one tucked away in a drawer or vintage tin somewhere?

What you’re looking for is an old copper penny, not one of those newer shiny ones. The trick only works with pennies made mostly of copper, which means you’ll want a coin dated before 1982 (the year the U.S. switched to zinc).

In the photo below, you can see the difference: the shiny 2015 penny just won’t do the job. Look for one with that rich copper patina—aged and perfectly imperfect.

It’s that little detail that helps keep tulips from drooping in your vase.

How to Keep Tulips from Drooping with a Penny

Once you’ve found your old copper penny, just drop it into the vase with your tulips and fresh water. That’s it!

I use this simple flower trick every time I bring home a bunch of store-bought tulips—and it always works like a charm. Just take a peek at the photos: when I first placed these pink tulips into my favorite thrifted vase, they were already drooping.

After adding the penny? They perked right up (well… all but one stubborn stem!).

You don’t have to take my word for it, this penny hack is one of the easiest ways to keep tulips from drooping and make them last longer in your spring flower arrangements.

No more drooping tulips.

More Ways to Keep Tulips from Drooping

Tulips are such cheerful flowers, but they can be a little dramatic when it comes to staying upright. In addition to the tried-and-true copper penny trick, here are a few extra tips to help keep your tulips fresh and standing tall in your favorite vase or arrangement:

That said, I still find that adding an old copper penny to the vase works every single time—and it’s such a fun, vintage-inspired floral hack to try.

Give it a go and see for yourself!

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