This document summarizes a student's scientific investigation into whether food dye can alter the color of a potted plant's petals. The student hypothesized that like cut flowers, a potted plant's petals could absorb food dye. The student dyed potted plants with natural and normal food dyes, taking daily photos. The natural dyes did not change the petals' color and the plants died, while the normal dyes changed the petals' colors within a week and also some leaves. The student concluded normal dyes can change a potted plant's petal color but natural dyes did not, and this raised new questions about the dyes' effects.

1. SCI102 Assessment 2
Collaborative Scientific Investigation
Can food dye alter the colour of a potted plant’s petals?
Sarah Lucas

2. Content
• Introduction
• Background research
• Hypothesis
• Equipment used
• Process
• Data collection method
• Data
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• New questions

3. Introduction
• The art of dying flowers is a simple procedure, performed by
many people from all over the world.
• This process is most commonly used by florists and usually
on cut flowers.
• After visiting a friend with a bouquet of dyed Orchards, I
found myself wondering if the same could be done to a
potted plant. If dye could be used to change the colour of a
potted plant’s petals.

4. Background Research
• When I google searched ‘dying flowers with food dye’
hundreds of different web articles and images popped up.
Most of these were of cut flowers.
• However my search of scientifically valid articles on the
effects of food dye on a potted plant’s petals, was not as
successful. Due to a lack of articles on the topic, I decided
that I would investigate the results myself.

5. Background Research
Cut White Roses
Cut White roses after 5 hours in Queens food dye

6. Hypothesis
If a cut flower could absorb food dye, then I believed that a
potted plant should be able to as well.

7. Equipment used

8. Process
Because the plants were alive, I decided to give them a mixture of water and dye,
to help keep them alive. I labelled each plant with the name of a dye, to ensure
that the same plant received the same coloured dye each time. I watered the
plants twice a day with a water: dye ratio of 20ml: 1ml. I used a small measuring
cup and a 5ml syringe to measure the dye and the water, then I combined the
fluids before watering the plants.

9. Data Collection Method
• I decided to use eight different dyes, four natural extract and four
normal, in case different dyes were stronger or had different effects.
• Controls put in place included;
- Pants all being the same species and colour.
- Plants all being of similar size and health.
- Plants receiving the same amount of water, dye and sunlight.
- Plants all being in the same size pots with the same potting mix.
• A photo was taken of each plant every morning and notes were taken
of any changes to the plants.

10. Queen’s Natural Extract Yellow Food
Colouring
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
No change in colour of petals, plant started to die on day 4.

11. Queen’s Natural Extract Purple Food
Colouring
No change in colour of petals, plant started to die on day 5.
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

12. Queen’s Natural Extract Green Food Colouring
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
No change in colour of petals, plant started to die on day 7.

13. Queen’s Natural Extract Red Food Colouring
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Day 6 Day 7 Day 8
No change in colour of petals, ran out of dye on day 8.

14. Queen’s Green Food Colouring
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9
Colour appeared on the edge of the petals on day 7, as faint spots. Petals fell off day 10.

15. Queen’s Blue Food Colouring
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9
Colour appeared on the edge of the petals on day 5, as faint spots. Petals fell off day 10.

16. Queen’s Yellow Food Colouring
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9
Colour appeared around the edges of the petals day 4. Experiment was ended day 10.

17. Queen’s Pillar Box Red Food Colouring
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9
Colour appeared in patches around the edge of the petals on day 5. Experiment was ended day 10.

18. Leaves
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
An unexpected side-
effect of dying the
potted plants was,
that 3 of the plants
showed a change of
colour in their leaves.
By day 6 red was
showing at the edge of
the ‘Queens Pillar Box
red food colouring’
plant’s leaves . The
‘Queens’ yellow and
blue food colouring
also started to show
colouring on day 8.

19. Discussion
• The natural extract dyes had no effect on the colour of the potted
plants’ petals.
• Three of the four plants receiving natural extract dyes died,
suggesting that something in the natural extract dyes was not
allowing the plants to survive.
• All four plants receiving normal dyes showed a change in colour
within seven days, these dyes coloured the petals in different patterns
and at different rates.
• Three of the four normal dyes also coloured the leaves of their potted
plants, the only normal dye that did not change the colour of the
leaves of its potted plant was the green dye, which was probably
because the leaves were already the same colour as the dye and any
absorption would not have been visible.

20. Conclusion
• In conclusion it would seem fair to say that normal dyes can
change the colour of a potted plant’s petals, just as I stated in my
hypothesis.
• However the natural extract dyes had no effect on the colour of
their plants’ petals, which contradicts my hypothesis.
• Therefore it depends on the type of dye being used, as to
whether a plant’s petals will change colour.

21. New Questions?
• Why does the natural extract dye not absorb into the plant’s petals?
Is it because the dye is thicker? Or less potent?
• Why did the natural extract dyes effect the health of their plants? Did
this have anything to do with why the colour was not absorbing?
• What would happen if I used a different dye: water ratio? Or if I just
used dye?
• Would the results be similar or different on other species of flowers?
• Why did different dyes spread differently? Were the differences in
rates of absorption and dye distribution due to the different dyes
used or due to differences in the individual flowers.