How to Dye Flowers with Two Colors

Who needs a mixed bouquet of red, white, and blue flowers for the 4th of July when you can get all three colors in one flower? These patriotic flowers are the perfect artful science experiment for kids and a fun and educational 4th of July activity to boot.

Plus, you still have time to make them; they start changing color within an hour!

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How to Dye Flowers with Two Colors

This basic science experiment is much the same as our painted daisies, except that we were aiming at two colors per flower this time, specifically red and blue. While we were at it we also tried some other color combinations as well. It’s super easy, super fun, and super cool!

Materials

• White daisies or chrysanthemums
• Red and blue food coloring or liquid watercolor paint
• 2 or more cups
• Chopping board and knife

Step 1: Pour an inch or two of water into each cup. Add food coloring or liquid watercolors to the water (we use liquid watercolors interchangeably with food coloring for most of our science experiments and homemade art materials). Be generous with the color. If you’re going to make the patriotic flowers, use blue food coloring in one cup and red in the other.

Step 2: Pick your daisies (ours are in bloom right now) or pick up a bouquet at the store. Using a sharp knife, slice the stem in half lengthwise. Leave an inch or two of solid stem between the cut and the flower head.

Step 3: Position the flower over your two cups of colored water with one stem piece in the red cup and one stem piece in the blue cup (or, as in this picture, green and purple). Make sure the stem ends are well submerged in the colored water.

If you happen to have double-dip paint cups they are perfect for this activity!

Step 4: Wait and watch. The flowers will start changing color within the hour, with some colors appearing faster than others.

The longer the flower stem sits in the colored water, the more of the dye the flower will absorb as it “drinks” the water. The photo on the left is the green and purple daisy that I shared on facebook and Google+ yesterday. The right-hand flower is the same one photographed this morning.

And here are our red, white, and blue patriotic flower ready to grace the table at a 4th of July BBQ. A whole bouquet of them! How often do you get to use your science experiments as party decorations?

By the way, if you need a couple more kid-pleasing activities for the 4th try milky fireworks (another artful science activity) and let them help make patriotic popsicles.

And if you want the basic tutorial on how to dye flowers, here’s the painted daisy post.

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