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Colored Carnations Science Experiment

This colored carnations science experiment doubles as a beautiful centerpiece! Watch as the color rises through the stem and throughout the petals like magic!
Prep Time10 minutes
Wait time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 10 minutes
Cost: $5

Equipment

  • vases or cups
  • sharp knife or scissors

Materials

  • white carnations
  • food coloring

Instructions

  • Add 10 drops of food coloring into a small vase.
    adding drops of food coloring into vase
  •  Fill with water. Add more drops if necessary to achieve a nice dark color.
    cups of colored water for carnations science experiment
  • Cut each stem on an angle and place inside vase.
    placing stems in vases
  • Wait and watch! Within a few hours you'll begin to see the flowers begin to change color! As the flower drinks the water, it runs through the stem as well as all of the petals!
    white carnations in vases
  • Have the kids predict which flower they think will result in the darkest shade. It may not be the one they think! We thought purple would certainly be as dark as the blue, but that wasn't the case. The green and blue flowers came out the most vivid, with the others being more of a pastel shade (still beautiful!).
    colored carnations in vases after sitting in water a few hours

Video

Notes

Not only does is this a fun project to watch, it makes a pretty centerpiece for your table too!