How to Dye Flowers With Food Coloring

Nature gives flowers a colorful array, but some colors only come in white. What if you could take those white flowers, like daisies or roses, and make them blue, green or yellow? You can and it is easy to do. Although you can alter the colors of already hued flowers, the white ones will work best. Flower stems act like a wick and suck up the water through their phloem. This brings water to all parts of the plant. As water evaporates through the stem and petals, the dye does not. It remains in the flower.

Things You'll Need

• Flowers
• Vase or glass
• Water
• Food coloring
• Granular plant food
• Sharp knife or scissors

Instructions

1. Pick a dozen or so flowers. White flowers, like daisies, carnations, chrysanthemums or roses are perfect to use, but you can experiment with any flowers that you like.

2. Fill at least one vase or glass with water to a depth of 2 to 6 inches. Use one color per vase or glass.

3. Add several drops of food coloring in each glass. Swirl the water around to mix dye and water together.

4. Add some granular plant food into each glass. This will help your cut flowers to last longer.

5. Cut the stems of your flowers with a sharp knife or a pair of scissors an angle. This will help them to take up the water better.

6. Put the flower stems into the dyed water.

7. Wait a few hours and you will begin to see the white flowers taking on a hint of color. In a few days time, your flowers will transform from white to a color of your choosing.

Tips & Warnings

• Blue and red food coloring work the best. If you want a black flower, you can use black ink.

• Do not use plastic containers, because they will take up the dye.

• Do not add too much food coloring. If you do, the stems will not take up the water or the dye.

References

• Mad Science
• Steve Spangler Science
• PBS Kids