MadSci Network: Botany
Query:

Re: Can all white flowers be turned color with food coloring the water?

Date: Fri Dec 8 21:24:29 2000
Posted By: David Hershey, Faculty, Botany, NA
Area of science: Botany
ID: 975790363.Bt
Message:

Complete question:

I've checked out many sites with this project and they all say to use 
carnations or celery.  I'm thinking of doing an expiriment to see if 
different species of flowers absorb water at different speeds. I bought 
daisies, roses, carnations, and mumms but the florist told me that roses 
wont work and I was wondering why not.

Reply:

I know that roses are not dyed commercially so maybe that is the florist told 
you that. 

I would encourage you to do the experiment and see if all the white flowers you 
have can be dyed with food coloring. Carnations, mums and daisies certainly 
can. Queen Anne's lace or wild carrot is another flower easily dyed. I don't 
see why most white flowers could not be dyed. It is a simple process of the 
water soluble dye moving in the xylem due to transpiration. Wilting the flowers 
slightly ahead of time is recommended to speed the dye movement to the flower.

Flowers that may not work could be ones that exude a gummy latex when the stems 
are cut, such as a poinsettia or dandelion. That may clog up the xylem and 
prevent dye movement. 




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