Keep some freshly cut flowers in a solution of food colour. Wait for sometime for the dye to rise in the flower, when the stem of the flower is held up in light, coloured strands can be seen inside. Can this experiment demonstrate which tissue is conducting water up the stem?

Xylem

Xylem is the water conducting tissue that forms a continuous channel from the roots, stems to the veins of the leaves and the flowers.

Transport of water

Coloured strands indicate that the food colour is conducted upwards through a continuous water column in the stem. The tissue conducting the food colour is xylem can be confirmed by observing the colored strand structures under the microscope.