Materials
• White flowers; tulips, carnations, daffodils, and chrysanthemums work best
• Food colouring
• Scissors (and an adult, if needed)
• Water
• A glass for each flower
Procedure
1. Fill a small cup or container with water. The flower should be able to sit out of the water but the stem of the flower will rest in the water.
2. Add 20-30 drops of food colouring to the water. The flower will become whatever colour you choose but remember to use a lot.
3. Choose a flower. White ones will show the results faster and it’s best to use daffodils, chrysanthemums, tulips, or carnations.
4. Cut the stem of the flower so that the flower can sit on the edge of the glass but the stem will reach the water. It should be cut at an angle to maximize water absorption.
5. Now you wait and can take notes about your observations. Within a few hours, you should start to see changes but it can take days to fully saturate the flower.
This experiment is great for beginners and can be done with household ingredients. Scissors are used and you will need to be patient.
