| To further explore the effects of different pressed-flower treatment techniques on the drying quality of hydrangea and to clarify the relationship between environmental factors and the color fading of dried flowers, dyed Hydrangea paniculata Sieb. was used as the experimental material. Different pressed-flower treatment methods, including the drying-board method and microwave method, were used to determine the suitable pressed-flower method for hydrangea, and a subsequent light-exposure test was conducted to select the optimal preservation method. The results showed that: (1) among the different pressed-flower treatments, drying with a drying board for 48 h and microwave drying at medium power for 2 min resulted in better drying quality, brighter color, higher flower integrity, flatter pressed flowers, and the best overall ornamental value; (2) the light-exposure test showed that the optimal indoor preservation period for pressed-flower products treated by either microwave drying or drying-board drying was 60 days, and their overall ornamental value remained relatively good from 60 to 180 days. The optimal outdoor ornamental period was 30 days for both treatments, after which the ornamental value declined markedly. Compared with drying-board treatment, microwave-treated pressed-flower products showed a lower degree of color fading and better ornamental value. Overall, the optimal ornamental period of indoor-preserved H. paniculata pressed flowers is longer than that of outdoor-preserved flowers; compared with the drying-board method, the microwave drying method results in less color fading in H. paniculata pressed flowers. |
