Do carnations change color in colored water?

White carnations show a dramatic difference in color when placed in dyed water. A fresh carnation, food dye, a container, warm water and a knife or scissors are needed to conduct an experiment proving this point.

The flower is prepared by holding the stem under water and cutting the end at an angle. It is then placed in a water mixture containing up to 30 drops of food dye per 1/2 cup of warm water. After a few hours, the new color appears at the edges of the petals. Flowers with longer stems may need up to 24 hours to take on the new color.

Carnations with wilting petals do not take on the color of the water as readily as fresh flowers. White daisies exhibit the same coloring properties as carnations.