The invention provides a method of reinforcing fresh ornamental plant parts, said method comprising the successive steps of: introducing dissolved anionic gelling polysaccharide into the fresh ornamental plant parts; and inducing gelation of the dissolved anionic gelling polysaccharide within said ornamental plant partsby introducing multivalent cations into the ornamental plant parts, thereby producing reinforced ornamental plant parts. The gel network that is created within the ornamental plant partsby the present method provides additional rigidity to the plant parts. This improved rigidity protects the plant part against the loss of turgidity that occurs shortly after the plant parts have been cut or that is caused by further treatments such as dehydration. The invention also concerns reinforced ornamental plant parts comprising at least 0.1mg of crosslinked, undissolved anionic polysaccharide salt per gof dry matter, said anionic polysaccharide being selected from calcium alginate, magnesium algina
