Pumpkin Succulents in Olympia, WA: How to Care for Your Long-Lasting Fall Pumpkin
Written by Specialty Floral Design
Fall is getting closer, and you know what that means around the studio—I'm starting to think about pumpkins! One of my favorite things to make each fall is my Pumpkin Succulent arrangements in Olympia, WA
One of my favorite things to make each fall is my Pumpkin Succulent arrangements. I've been making these for several years now, and I still get excited when I start thinking about what this year's pumpkins might look like.
They're a little different from a traditional fall flower arrangement. Instead of carving the pumpkin and filling it with fresh flowers, I use a whole, organic pumpkin and design right on top of it with succulents, dried flowers, moss, sticks, grasses, and other natural elements.
And the best part?
No two Pumpkin Succulents are ever the same.
What Is a Pumpkin Succulent?
A Pumpkin Succulent starts with a real, organic pumpkin. I don't carve or hollow it out. Instead, I build the design right on top of the pumpkin using an assortment of succulents and dried flowers.
Because we live in the Pacific Northwest, I love adding natural elements like moss, sticks, dried grasses, and foliage. They give the pumpkin that little bit of PNW personality that I love bringing into my floral designs.
Some pumpkins have interesting bumps or little imperfections. Some have beautiful stems. Some are perfectly round, and others aren't.
I don't try to make every pumpkin look alike. Instead, I work with what the pumpkin gives me.
That's part of what makes designing flowers so much fun.
Why I Don't Carve My Pumpkins
Before I even start designing, I spend time looking at the pumpkins themselves. And I don't necessarily choose the prettiest or most perfect pumpkin in the pile.
Actually, I usually do the opposite.
I don't just reach for an orange pumpkin. I'm drawn to pumpkins that have personality. Maybe it has lots of bumps, an unusual shape, a few knots, or something a little quirky about it. Those are often the pumpkins that catch my eye.
My favorites are the pumpkins in earthy colors. I especially love grey, white, green, blue-grey, and slate-grey pumpkins. They have such a beautiful natural look and work so well with the moss, sticks, dried flowers, and succulents I like to use.
Once I start designing, I work with what the pumpkin gives me.
If it has an unusual bump, I might build the design around it. If the shape is a little wonky, I don't try to hide it. I use it as part of the design.
That's what gives each Pumpkin Succulent its own personality.
When everything comes together, I love how charming they look. They're not overly bright or perfectly polished. They have that natural, earthy feeling that fits so beautifully here in the Pacific Northwest.
That's really what I'm going for—a fall pumpkin that feels like it belongs here.
That's really what I'm going for—a fall pumpkin that feels like it belongs here.
How Long Does a Pumpkin Succulent Last?
This is probably one of the questions I get asked the most.
With proper care, I've had Pumpkin Succulents last for several months, and some can last up to about six months.
How long yours lasts depends on the pumpkin, where you keep it, and how well you care for it.
The pumpkin is actually what you need to pay the most attention to—not so much the succulents.
As the season progresses, keep an eye on the pumpkin and watch for signs that it is beginning to deteriorate.
That's also one of the reasons I choose strong, fresh pumpkins from a local farmer. I want to start with the best pumpkin I can find.
How to Care for Your Pumpkin Succulent
The good news is that Pumpkin Succulents are pretty easy to care for.
The most important thing is to keep the pumpkin cool and away from heat and direct sunlight.
You can display your Pumpkin Succulent on your porch as long as it isn't sitting in direct sunlight for long periods. You can also enjoy it on your kitchen table, dining table, entryway, or another spot inside your home.
Just keep it away from fireplaces, heaters, heating vents, and other sources of heat.
How Much Water Do the Succulents Need?
Very little!
Here in the Pacific Northwest, we already have plenty of moisture in the air, so you don't want to overwater your succulents.
I recommend using a spray bottle and giving the succulents just a couple of light sprays about once a month.
Don't soak them.
You don't want water sitting on the succulents because too much moisture can cause them to rot.
The goal is really a little water, not a lot.
And remember, you're really caring for the pumpkin. Once the pumpkin begins to rot, it will eventually affect the entire design.
Can You Replant the Succulents?
Yes!
One of the things I love about using succulents is that you may be able to give them a second life after you're finished enjoying your pumpkin.
When the pumpkin has reached the end of its life, you can carefully remove the succulents and try planting them in succulent soil. I wouldn't recommend using regular potting soil.
Some succulents can also be propagated from leaves. You can gently pull leaves from the plant and place them in the soil to see if they begin to root.
Just keep in mind that not every leaf will root and grow. That's why I recommend planting several if you're trying to propagate them.
Keep them in a cool, dry place and give them only occasional light watering.
It's always fun to see which ones take off and continue growing!
Pumpkin Succulent or Ceramic Pumpkin?
I make both, but they are very different styles.
Pumpkin Succulents are made with a real organic pumpkin, succulents, dried flowers, and natural elements. They're whimsical, long-lasting, and have that natural Pacific Northwest feeling I love.
Ceramic pumpkin arrangements are designed with fresh flowers. They're a great choice if you're looking for the traditional beauty and freshness of a floral arrangement but want something you can reuse year after year.
If you're looking for a long-lasting fall centerpiece, a Pumpkin Succulent is the way to go.
If you want fresh flowers, a ceramic pumpkin arrangement is a beautiful option.
Both are fun, but they give you a completely different look.
Where Can You Use a Pumpkin Succulent?
That's another reason I love them—they're surprisingly versatile.
You can order one for a fall dinner party, birthday celebration, family gathering, hostess gift, Thanksgiving décor, fall office display, kitchen table, dining table, porch, or entryway.
After your special occasion is over, you don't necessarily have to put it away.
Move it to your living room, kitchen, porch, or another spot where you can continue enjoying it throughout the season.
One of My Favorite Pumpkin Stories
I remember a client who ordered one because her husband was having a company party at their home. She wanted something fun and different for the dinner table.
After the party, she moved the Pumpkin Succulent into her living room.
Around Christmas, I reached out to her, expecting that the pumpkin had probably been tossed out by then.
Nope!
It was still sitting in her living room.
She told me it was just too cute and still looked so good that she couldn't bring herself to throw it away—even though she had already decorated the rest of her home for Christmas.
I loved hearing that story.
That's one of the things I enjoy about these pumpkins. They're not just something you use for one dinner and then forget about. With a little care, you can continue enjoying them as the season changes.
Why Every Pumpkin Succulent Is Different
This is probably my favorite part of making them.
I can't make two Pumpkin Succulents look exactly the same—and I don't want to.
Every pumpkin starts with its own shape, color, and personality. Then I add the succulents, dried flowers, moss, sticks, grasses, and whatever else inspires me that day.
Sometimes I'll start with an idea in my head, and once I put the first succulent on the pumpkin, the whole design goes in a completely different direction.
That's one of my favorite things about being a florist.
Every arrangement gets its own personality.
And honestly, the more interesting the pumpkin is to begin with, the more interesting the finished Pumpkin Succulent can become.
What Will This Year's Pumpkin Succulents Look Like?
I'm already thinking about this year's designs, and I have some fun ideas floating around.
I've collected some beautiful dried grasses, foliage, sticks, and dried flowers in different colors that I'm excited to experiment with.
I'm even thinking about adding something unexpected, like fruit or other natural elements.
I don't know exactly what this year's Pumpkin Succulents will look like yet—and honestly, that's part of the fun.
I won't know what each pumpkin wants to become until I start working with it.
I really can't wait until I can get my pumpkins from my wholesaler and start designing. They usually arrive toward the end of September, so that's when the pumpkin fun really begins around here.
When Can You Order a Pumpkin Succulent?
I begin designing Pumpkin Succulents once my fresh pumpkins arrive, usually toward the end of September.
Because each one is handmade and unique, quantities are limited.
You can view our Autumn Flowers & Seasonal Designs to see our seasonal collection and watch for this year's Pumpkin Succulent designs as they become available.
If you're interested in ordering or have a question, you can also call the studio at 360-688-6608.
A Little Fall Inspiration From Last Year
If you want to see more Pumpkin Succulent and ceramic pumpkin inspiration, I also wrote about our fall designs last year:
Tumwater Flowers for a Cozy Fall Season: Pumpkin Succulents & Ceramic Pumpkin Arrangements
And if you're already thinking ahead to your Thanksgiving table, you can also read:
And if you're already thinking ahead to your Thanksgiving table, you can also read:
I'll be sharing more fall and Thanksgiving ideas as we get closer to the season.
I Can't Wait for Pumpkin Season
There is something about fall that makes me want to slow down a little and enjoy the season.
Cooler mornings, beautiful sunsets, dahlias, grasses, pumpkins, dried flowers, and all those wonderful textures that make autumn so much fun to design.
And then there are the pumpkins.
I can't wait to see what this year's Pumpkin Succulents become. I have ideas, but I also know that once I start working with each pumpkin, it will probably have ideas of its own.
That's the fun of being a florist.
You start with a beautiful pumpkin, flowers, succulents, and natural materials, and then you just have to see where the design takes you.
If you'd like to be one of the first to see this year's Pumpkin Succulent designs, visit our Autumn Flowers & Seasonal Designs or call the studio at 360-688-6608.
I can't wait to start creating them.
