Left Phal in water for two days... now roots are bright red... what!!?

[Silje]

Would it be enough to just dip the plant in a water/food colour solution now and then when it is spiking and developing buds, or how does that work?

[RosieC]

I thought to get blue in a white Phal flower you needed to inject a silver compound into the flower stem. I didn't think it worked with food colouring on phals though I could be wrong. I know some flowers like daisies respond but not every plant does. The blue phals are definitely dyed though and I think it's with a silver compound.

[dickjo]

When you are in a Hd or Lowes or any other of a bunch of stores that sell all the odd colored plants. Take a good look at the exposed roots Some of them will be all kinds of weird. I asked someone at a GH once and was told that food dye was injected in the plants.

[Rowangreen]

I have some orchid Baby Bio and it is pink. I doubt the colour would be strong enough to dye the roots though?!!?

He's not been feeding his plant beetroot has he? I find that can have an interesting effect if I eat too much!

[Movnhorses]

LOL. That is too funny about the beetroot.

[james mickelso]

My thought is that the velamen started to oxidize like an apple turning red when left out or a potato turning red when left out. Oxidizing the sugars.

[AnonYMouse]

I have a couple of cheapo neos (suppose to be resting) and a dryadella with some pinky-purple root tips. Not all the roots and just on the tender tips.

[RosieC]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. It's faded by the time he's been able to take a pic, but still showing some red but apparently a lot paler than it was.



Basically the bottom inch of roots curled in the bottom of the pot is a dark pink, not just the tips but all of them.

[AnonYMouse]

I wonder if it is a function of pH.

[RosieC]

Hmm a possibility Anon Y Mouse.

He says it's going back to normal now the roots are out of the water. I guess perhaps we will never know for sure