How to Change Flower Colors With Food Coloring

Carnations, roses, daisies and other long-stemmed flowers, when displayed in vases, make cheerful centerpieces for cafes and restaurants but unfortunately they come in a limited range of colors. If you'd like to include green, blue or other unusually colored flowers in a holiday display, you can dye white flowers with food coloring. When you place plant stems in a dyed solution, capillary action pulls the colored water up, which in turn tints the flower petals. Non-toxic food dye is completely safe for plants.

Things You'll Need

• White daisy, rose or carnation
• Floral shears
• Vase or floral tube
• Food coloring

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Cut the flower stem at a 45-degree angle with floral shears or sharp scissors.

   • 2

     Pour 1 cup of warm water in a vase or floral tube. Add 20 to 30 drops of food coloring to the water.

   • 3

     Insert the flower stem into the water as you would normally. Within a day, the flower will change to the color of the dye.