What 2 properties of water make capillary action possible?

Cohesion; the water molecules attract each other and are responsible for the surface tension of water.

Adhesion; the water molecule is also able to attract other non-water molecules. This allows water to be able to 'cling' to the sides of a capillary tube.

The complementary action of these two forces allows water to rise in a narrow capillary tube such as the xylem tissues of plants.