Colorful flaming pinecones

In most households pinecones tend to land up in the garbage. Here is an innovative way to make use of these pinecones. Treat them and add them to the fire at your next party for a quick spectacular blast of multicolored flames. Here, we will show you how to prepare pinecones so that they burn with either green, crimson or yellow-orange flames.

What you will need:

• Water
• Three plastic or ceramic containers, one for each color
• 1/2 pound (+- 250 g) Copper Sulfate
• 1/2 pound (+- 250 g) Boric Acid
• 1/2 pound (+- 250 g) Calcium Chloride
• Gloves
• Pinecones

How you prepare the pinecones:

• Prepare three buckets or containers with about 1/2 gallon (2 liters) of hot water. Use only plastic or ceramic containers, as metal will react with the chemicals and make a mess.
• Wear gloves and prepare the chemical mixes as follows. DO NOT MIX THE CHEMICALS:
  • Into bucket 1:

    Add to the hot water 1/2 pound (+- 250 g) of Boric Acid. This mixture will give crimson colored flames.

  • Into bucket 2:

    Add to the hot water 1/2 pound (+- 250 g) of Calcium Chloride. This mixture will give yellow-orange colored flames.

  • Into bucket 3:

    Add to the hot water 1/2 pound (+- 250 g) of Copper Sulfate. This mixture will give green colored flames.

• Stir each of the mixtures with separate wooden spoons. DO NOT USE ONE SPOON FOR ALL THE BUCKETS.
• Add the pinecones and leave to soak overnight. You may have to weigh down pinecones to get them to sink into the chemical mixture.
• With gloves on, remove the pinecones, place them on stones or cement surface outside and allow them to dry thoroughly in warm dry air for at least 2 days.

How you use the pinecones:

Add two or three pinecones at a time to your fire and watch the spectacular colorful blast of flames that last for a few minutes.