Plants: Celery in Colored Water

You may have done this as a kid!

Cut about an inch off the end of a stalk of celery, so you have a fresh end. Place the celery in a cup of colored water and allow to sit for a few days while you observe.

Because the water is carrying food dye with it, you will be able to see the path the water takes as it moves up the stem and into the leaves. This provides a great visualization of the vascular system contained in most plants.


It’s also fun to place white daisies (or other white flowers) in colored water and watch the petals change color. I’d recommend doing the celery first, because you can see the xylem in the celery stem and therefore see how the water travels up the stem.