Is there anyway to slow the browning of a fresh cut Magnolia flower? I am using it as a decoration and would like to cut it the day before.
According to The World of Magnolias by Dorothy Johnson Callaway (Timber Press, 1994), if you cut the flowers at an early stage (before they open) and keep them in a cool room, they will last for several days. They are naturally fragile, and it is for this reason that they are not usually used on a large scale by florists.
If you only need to keep the blossoms fresh for a day or two, then keeping them cool should be sufficient.