Suck It Up! How Water Moves Through Plants

Introduction

Have you ever heard someone say, "That plant is thirsty," or, "Give that plant a drink of water"? We know that all plants need water to survive, even bouquets of cut flowers and plants living in deserts. But have you ever thought about how the water moves within the plant? In this activity, you will put carnations in dyed water to figure out where the water goes. Where do you think the dyed water will travel, and what will this tell you about how the water moves in the cut flowers?

Credits

Materials

• Water
• Glass cup or vase
• Several white carnations or other white flowers (at least 3). Tip: Younger flowers work better than older ones.
• Measuring cup
• Measuring teaspoon
• Knife
• Food coloring; blue or red are the easiest to see
• Optional: Camera
• Optional: Celery stalks with leaves