Lab experiment on flowers

[pb_91]

I have to perform three lab reports on a nature question. My question is- Is it possible to change the color of a flower? One of my experiments will be done where my flower seed will grow in soil. I will give the soil some grape juice or orange juice to try and change the color. My second experiment will be when the seed will be in orange juice alone... the problem is, can you guys give me an idea for a third experiment? i can't really think of one. And, is it possible for a seed of a flower to grow in just liquids or should i put a flower with some roots to start with. And last, can you guys recommend for me a flower that grows really fast? in about a week?

[j2buttonsw]

How about growing at different temperatures? Primula sinensis has different flower colours accordng to what temperature it grows at (red at room, white at elevated temperatures). Make sure all your experiments have a control and you should do it in triplicate to make it more statistically significant. You could also try growing in the dark or using light of different wavelengths.

[FTVS]

I have to say I don't know any plant that would grow from seed to flower in one week. What about established plants, just about to flower and tak ethem out ofthe soil and put them in water for a week. One in ordinary watere (maybe with some plant feed) and teh othertow in different colured water - if you used foodcoluring instead? Alternatively could you use cut flowers (carnations maybe) in different colured water

[Rabelais]

The food colourant experiment is a good one as it shows the nature of water transportation in plants. Though I would suggest a variant on it. If you split a flower stem in half for about a third of it's length and place either side of its stem in water with differing colourant in, the flower will become one colour one side and the other colour the other. Sadly I think your experiment with the grape and orange juice will not work.

[DalbyStorm]

Unlikely anything flowers in a week, perhaps some rare alpine that is acclimatised to the snow? I understand that acidity affects the colour of some flowers. I would have thought a flower/plant could grow in a liquid gel without too much trouble. How about something a little more alkaline?

[tomd]

"When I were a lad..", we used to take some funny white flowers (looked something like large daisys) from the garden and place them in a small vase with water & food colouring. Within maybe a week the colour of the petals would be tainted, and if you split the stem & placed the two halves in two different coloured jars you could get a messy split of colour.

[dwl]

Yes - for example, a hydrangea will flower in various shades from a very bright blue to a very deep pink depending on the soil chemical composition.

[Yinzer]

I have bought tinted flowers in the shop before. I think they put food coloring in the water and the petals came out with all sorts of streaks. Even a bit of coloring in the stem and leaves.