How to Dye Flowers

Go beyond basic food color hues and create custom tones.

Having the right balance of colors in a bouquet can make the difference between an average collection of flowers and a custom burst of life that sets the tone of a room or party. Transform white long stem flowers into custom pops of color with food coloring dye. Anyone can partake in this simple science experiment and dye flowers by following basic guidelines and using the right materials from a local grocery or craft supply store.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Food coloring
• White longstem flowers
• Vase or vases
• Water
• Knife
• Sunlight

1. Cut the flower stems at an angle. According to CBS.com, the angle increases the stem's exposure to the water and enables it to uptake more water. The angled cut will make the flowers last longer and decrease the amount of time it takes for the flower to change color.

2. Separate the flowers. For example, if you wish to transform white flowers into red and blue flowers, create a red group and a blue group.

3. Fill a vase halfway full of water. There should be one vase per group.

4. Add drops of food coloring to the water until the water becomes dark, or four drops of coloring per cup of water. This method of dyeing flowers is called absorption dyeing, according to Purdue University's Department of Horticulture. (Reference 2)

5. Put the flowers in the vase.

6. Place the vase of flowers in sunlight for one to three days and watch the flowers absorb the color.

7. Remove flowers from vase once desired color is achieved.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a sharp knife to cut the flowers. A dull knife or scissors will pinch the stem and decrease the stems ability to take water.

References

• CBS: Flower Power
• Purdue University: Preserving Plant Materials