Traditional Potpourri

As the Story Goes

The word “potpourri” comes from the French pot pourri — literally “rotten pot” — and the name isn’t an accident. The earliest potpourris weren’t the dry, decorative bowls of petals we picture today; they were genuinely moist, made by layering fresh flower petals with salt in a crock and letting the mixture ferment and cure over weeks, sometimes months. The result was dark, dense, and deeply fragrant, kept in lidded jars that were opened only occasionally to release their scent into a room — a far cry from the open bowls sold in shops now.

This “moist” potpourri was a fixture of European households from at least the 17th century onward, prized precisely because it lasted. A well-made batch could scent a room for years, opened for special occasions or simply lifted and set aside when the fragrance was wanted. Rose petals were the traditional base, layered with salt, spices, and sometimes a splash of brandy to help preserve the mixture further, and every household seemed to have its own closely guarded recipe.

Dry potpourri — simply dried petals and herbs tossed together, no fermenting required — came later, largely because it was faster and far less trouble to make. By the Victorian era, dry potpourri had become the more common household version, and it’s essentially what we still think of today: a decorative bowl of dried botanicals, refreshed now and then with a few drops of scent to keep it going.

Traditional Potpourri

A simple dry potpourri, the version most households actually keep on hand today.

You’ll need:

  • 2 cups dried rose petals or rosebuds
  • 1 cup mixed dried flowers and herbs (lavender, chamomile, calendula, and rosemary all work well)
  • 1 tablespoon whole spices (cloves, cinnamon pieces, or dried citrus peel)
  • 1 tablespoon orris root powder, as a fixative (see note below)
  • A few drops essential oil, optional, to refresh the scent
  • A decorative bowl or a jar with a loose lid

To make it:

  1. In a large bowl, gently combine the dried petals, herbs, and spices — toss rather than stir, so the more delicate petals don’t crumble.
  2. Sprinkle the orris root powder over the mixture and toss again to distribute it evenly.
  3. If using essential oil, add it a few drops at a time, tossing between additions, then let the mixture sit in a sealed container for a few days before displaying, so the scent has time to settle in.
  4. Transfer to a decorative bowl, or keep in a lidded jar and open it when you want the fragrance released into a room.

To use it: Set out in a bowl anywhere you’d like a bit of fragrance, or keep it jarred and lift the lid occasionally rather than leaving it open all the time — a covered potpourri holds its scent far longer than one left exposed to the air continuously.

A note on the fixative: orris root is what makes the difference between a potpourri that fades in a week and one that lasts for months, since it helps “fix” the lighter floral scents so they don’t evaporate away as quickly. It’s a modern-available substitute for what many older households used instead — a slower reduction of the same botanicals with salt, closer to the original moist method below.

The Old-Fashioned Way

True moist (fermented) potpourri:

  1. As fresh rose petals or other fragrant flowers become available, layer them in a crock with coarse, non-iodized salt — about one part salt to three parts petals by volume.
  2. Add each new day’s petals as a fresh layer on top, with a bit more salt over each addition, pressing down gently to pack the layers.
  3. Cover with a plate or lid that fits inside the crock, weighted down, and let the mixture sit in a cool spot, checking every few days.
  4. Over the following weeks, the mixture will darken, compact, and begin to cure — this is normal, and the fermentation is what produces the deep, long-lasting fragrance the moist method is known for.
  5. Once cured (typically 4 to 6 weeks), the dense, dark mixture can be broken apart and mixed with spices to taste, then transferred to a lidded jar.

This version is considerably more work and less visually decorative than a dry potpourri, but it’s the true ancestor of the word itself — a pot, genuinely a little “rotten,” and prized for exactly that reason.

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The information provided by Southwestern Herbal Academy is for educational and informational purposes only. Historical and traditional uses of herbs are shared for educational purposes and should not be interpreted as proof of safety or effectiveness.

Herbs, essential oils, and other natural ingredients can cause allergic reactions, skin irritation, or other adverse effects. Always research ingredients before use, follow appropriate safety and dilution guidelines, and test topical preparations on a small area before wider use. Keep herbal preparations and potentially hazardous ingredients away from children and pets.

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