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Why Press Specimens
Pressed botanical specimens last for decades when stored correctly and serve as personal field records, art pieces, and natural history references. The pressing process drives moisture out of the plant material while preserving color, shape, and fine surface detail. Fresh, young plant material presses better than old or wilted specimens.


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[ ] Gather Your Materials

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Preparing Your Specimens
Collect plants in the morning after dew has dried.
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Preparing Your Specimens
Collect plants in the morning after dew has dried. Choose specimens that represent the plant fully: include leaves, stem, and ideally a flower or seed head. Gently remove excess bulk from thick stems or compound leaves. Arrange the specimen on blotting


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Pressing and Drying
Layer your press: cardboard, blotting paper, specimen, blotting paper,
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Pressing and Drying
Layer your press: cardboard, blotting paper, specimen, blotting paper, cardboard. Repeat for multiple specimens. Tighten the press firmly or stack heavy books on top. Change the blotting paper after 24 hours, then again at 3 days. Most specimens are


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Mounting and Labeling
Attach dried specimens to acid-free paper using small strips of linen tape or a
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Mounting and Labeling
Attach dried specimens to acid-free paper using small strips of linen tape or a thin bead of PVA glue applied with a toothpick. Never use pressure-sensitive tapes. Label each specimen with the common name, scientific name if known, collection location,


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A pressed flower is a small act of preservation. Every one you mount is a record that something beautiful existed in a specific place on a specific day.