How to Make Brussels Sprout Flowers

Take one Brussels sprout and start by gently peeling back its outer leaves. Working towards the center, you’ll want to carefully peel each layer of leaves until the next layer is mostly exposed. Once you reach the center of the Brussels sprout, use your fingers to fluff it up so that it looks like the center of a rose. You’ll be left with a beautiful gradient "flower."

These Brussels sprout roses look beautiful in a low centerpiece, where you can stand them up on their own without any stems. If you want to make them look taller, you can use wooden skewers or wire in an opaque vase to hide the faux stems. You can also tuck your Brussels sprouts into an existing bouquet, allowing them to be supported by the flowers around them.

Whether you grow your Brussels sprouts at home or purchase them from the store for this trick, they’re a highly affordable alternative to any grocery store bouquet. A pound of Brussels sprouts costs $1 on average across the U.S., and could net you around 20 sprouts to work with—that’s an affordable flower filler if we’ve ever seen one.

Mix your Brussels sprouts with other in-season blooms to stretch your floral budget even further, especially if you’re creating a large table centerpiece or even a floral arch for events.

Tea roses, peonies, dahlias, anemones, and ranunculus will all complement the many layers of your Brussels roses—chances are, your sprouts will blend in so effortlessly, no one will even realize they’re looking at a Brussels sprout bouquet. Bright green fillers like amaranth, dianthus, or spider mums work beautifully alongside the light green outer layers of your Brussels sprout flowers.

Other Tricks to Try with Your Brussels Sprout Roses

Some who have tried this hack recommend only using your Brussels sprout roses alongside other flowers, because the sprouts will start to smell after a couple of days. Using them as filler will hide their scent, so you can keep them around for longer.

If you’d rather turn them into a culinary centerpiece, some Brussels sprouts fans have suggested shaping them into roses and then frying them. Roasting them in the oven may also help them keep their shape while they cook.