The rainbow rose is a rose that has had its petals artificially coloured. The method exploits the rose's natural processes by which water is drawn up the stem. By splitting the stem and dipping each part in different coloured water, the colours are drawn into the petals resulting in a multicolored rose. With these changes to the rose, it causes them to not live as long as an uncoloured rose.[1][2] Besides roses, other cut flowers like the chrysanthemum, carnation, hydrangea, and some species of orchids can also be colored using the same method.[3]The uncomplicated process has been known for more than a millennium. Several companies have moved to patent the process. It appears they have been partially successful. It will be up to the courts to decide if the process can be patented.