MetaChat - I really like this photo.

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07 August 2006

I really like this photo. But the flower isn't really multicolored like that, is it? →[More:]If you scroll down in the comments, the photographer claims that the flower is really multicolored, and that she bought it at a flower shop. I don't buy it. It looks like a chrysanthemum to me. Is there really a naturally occurring rainbow flower like this one?

post by: amro at: 08:56 | 12 comments

She's winking... and talking about working in colors. So, it's retouched.

posted by taz 07 August | 09:12

She winks when she says "thank you" in one of her comments, too... Emoticons confuse me sometimes. But I suspect that you're correct. Too bad; I would love a big bunch of rainbow flowers.

posted by amro 07 August | 09:19

I bet you could take some white flowers and carefully dye them in a rainbow shade using food colouring.

posted by cmonkey 07 August | 09:27

The way they usually add colour to white flowers (carnations, anyone?) is adding food colouring to the water they're sitting in. I don't think you could do several colours like that mum. Then again, I'm not a florist.

posted by deborah 07 August | 10:30

You can do the multicolor thing by splitting the stem with a razor blade, and placing the separate strands in differently colored water.

posted by StickyCarpet 07 August | 10:52

StickyCarpet, I think I might just try that!

posted by amro 07 August | 10:57

He's right - that's exactly how its done. It's actually a dry powder that turns to liquid as its sucked up - the stem is sliced and placed into the powders. I don't know the exact terminology for the process or what the powder is called, though.

posted by iconomy 07 August | 11:00

Forgot to add - food coloring might not produce such a brilliant hue but it will definitely work, and it might be fun to experiment.

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by iconomy 07 August | 11:04

Here are some instructions on how to do it with food coloring. I think I'll try this too - I'd love to have multi-colored insane flowers to take photos of. I'm going to try it with mums and carnations. Roses are too expensive, plus carnations and mums last a lot longer...

posted by iconomy 07 August | 11:08

Pretty sure that's a dahlia, not a mum. For the record.

posted by mudpuppie 07 August | 13:05

It is beautiful, though. Let the rest of us know if the experiments work!

posted by redvixen 07 August | 13:54

(I'm wavering on the dahlia thing now. I could make a case for either a dahlia or a mum. Anyway.)

posted by mudpuppie 07 August | 13:56

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