Share |

List Of Plant Dyes By Plant

The following listing includes many of the plants that have been used for dyeing from antiquity to the present. Colours are given, but it is important to remember that in, practice colours will vary, depending on where the plant grew, whether it is used fresh or dried, which mordant is used, what material is being dyed, and the strength of the dye bath. Mordants are indicated in many cases; where they are not, use alum to be safe unless you are sure none are needed. Feel free to experiment with different plants, different mordants, different techniques. It helps to keep records of all your attempts; that way there are no experiments that fail, only experiments that teach.

Plant	Plant Part	Colour	Material	Mordants/Additives
Alder buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula)	Bark (after drying for a year)	Bronze-brown	Wool
Alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria)	Roots	Red	Wool
Almond(Prunus amygdalus)	Leaves	Yellow	Wool	Alum
Alpine cranberry (Vaccinium vitas idaea)	Stems and leaves	Yellow to red	Cotton, linen, wool	Alum
American ivy (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)	Fruit	Pink	Wool
Annatto (Bixa orellana)	Fruit pulp Seeds	Red Orange	Wool Wool
Apple tree (Pyres males)	Bark	Yellow to yellow-tan	Wool
Barberry (Berberis valgaris)	Leaves Roots Twigs and young leaves	Black Yellow Red-yellow	Wool Wool Wool	Copperas
Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)	Plant without roots	Yellow-green to grey Green Blue-green	Wool Wool Wool	Alum and copperas Blue vitriol
Beard grass (Andropogon virginus)	Stalks and leaves	Greenish-yellow Brass Green Henna Yellow	Wool wool Wool Wool Cotton	Alum Chrome Dye over indigo Dye over madder Alum-tannic acid-alum
Big-bud hickory (Carya tomentosa )	Bark	Yellow	Wool
Bird's tongue (Fraxinus excelsior)	Bark and wood	Green, brown	wool
Black alder (Alnus glutinosa)	Bark Leaves	Grey-brown to black Brownish-yellow Greenish-yellow	Wool, cotton Wool, cotton Wool, cotton	Copperas Alum Alum
Blackberry (Rubus spp.)	Young shoots	Light gray	Wool	Alum
Black birch (Betula lenta)	Roots	Red-brown	Wool
Black elder (Sambucus nigra)	Fruit Leaves	Violet Lilac Lemon-yellow	Wool Wool Wool	Alum Alum and salt Alum
Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica)	Bark	Brown	wool
Black oak (Quercus velutina)	Inner bark (quercitron is commercial extract)	Yellow to buff Gold Olive-green Orange	Wool, cotton Wool, cotton Wool, cotton Silk	Alum Chrome Copperas Tin
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)	Bark	Reddish-brown Black	Wool Wool	Copperas
Black walnut (Juglans nigra)	Green hulls of nuts	Dark brown Drab	Wool Cotton	Alum (or none) Alum-tannic acid-alum
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)	Rootstock	Reddish-orange	wool	Alum
Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum vars.)	Roots Young shoots	Yellow Yellowish-green Grey	Wool Wool, silk Silk	Chrome Alum, chrome Copperas
Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)		Dark yellow	wool	Alum
Butternut (Juglans cinema)	Green bulls of nuts	Tan Gray	Wool Cotton	Alum Alum-tannic acid-alum
Calliopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)	Flowers	Orange to red Yellow	wool wool	Chrome Tin and cream of tartar
Canoe birch (Betula papyri)	Inner bark	Light brown Green	Wool wool	None Blue Vitriol
Cascara sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana)	Bark	Brown	wool
Catechu, or cutch (Acacia catechu)	Resin from heartwood (extract available)	Brown	Wool, Cotton	Chrome
Chinese arborvitae (Thuja orientalis )	Leaves	Yellow	Wool
Coltsfoot (Tassilago farfara)	Herb	Yellow-green Green	Wool Wool	Alum Copperas
Common plum (Prunus domestica)	Bark	Black	Wool	Copperas
cornflower (Centanrea cyanus)		Blue	Wool
Cotton (Gossypium spp.)	Petals	Yellow, brown	Wool, cotton
Dandelion (Taraxacurn officinale)	Plant	Magenta	wool
Dog's mercury (Mercurialis perennis)	Herb	Greenish-yellow to blue (with long boiling)	Wool
Dye bedstraw (Galium tinctorium)		Red	Wool
Dyers broom (Genista tinctoria)	Flowering tops	Yellow Green	Wool, linen Wool, linen	Alum, chrome Dye over indigo
Dyer's camomile (Anthemis tinctoria)	Flowers	Yellow Khaki Gold	Wool Wool Wool	Alum Alum plus second dyeing Chrome
Elecampane (Inula belenium)			Wool
English oak (Quercus robur)	Bark	Black	Wool	Copperas
English walnut (Jungans regia)	Green hulls of nuts	Llght brown Medium brown Dark brown	Wool Wool Wool	Chrome Copperas Tin
European ragwort (Senedoia ooboea)	plant	Yellow	Wool	Alum
Flowering ash (Fraziuus ornus)	Bark and leaves	Yellow Black	Wool Wool	Alum Copperas
Furnitory (Fumaria officinalis)	Herb-	Yellow, green	Wool
Fustic (Chloraphora tinctoria)	Wood (extract available)	Yellowish-tan Gold Yellowish-tan	Wool Wool Cotton	Alum Chrome Alum
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)	Inner bark	Whitish-brown	Cloth	Lime, potassium carbonate
Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)	Flowers	Yellow to Yellowish-tan Gold	Wool Wool	Alum Chrome
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis )	Roots	Yellow	wool
Heather (Calluna vulgaris)	Young tips Flowering plant Tops Plant after flowering	Green Yellow Purple Brown	Wool Wool Wool Wool	Alum None Alum None
Hemlock spruce (Tauga canadensis)	Bark	Brown	Wool	Alum (or none)
Henna (Lawsonia inermis )	Dried leaves	Orange-red	Wool
Hollyhock (Althaea rosea)	Flowers	Blue	Wool
Iceland moss (Cetraria islandlea)	plant	Brown	Wool
Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria)	Leafy branches (powder available)	Blue	Wool	Caustic soda and sodium
Indigo bush (Dalea emoryi)	Small branches	Yellowish-brown	Wool
Jewelweed (Impatiens biflora)	Plant	Yellow	wool
Jumper (Junipenrs oommunis)	Fruit	Brown	Wool
Lady's mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris)	Green parts	Green	Wool
Larch (Larix europaea)	Needles (picked in autumn)	Brown	Wool,
Larkspur (Delphinium consolida )	Flowers	Green	Wool	Alum
Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)	Young leaves Autumn leaves	Yellow to greenish-yellow Gold	Wool Wool	Chrome Chrome
Logwood (Haematoxylum campechianum)	Wood	Black Brown Grey Grey-brown Grey-blue	Wool Wool Wool Wool Wool	Alum and copperas Chrome Chrome and cream of tartar Tin Alum and cream of tartar
Lombardy poplar (Popes nigra var.italica)	Leaves	Lime-yellow Golden brown	Wool Wool	Alum chrome
Madder (Rubia tinctorum)	Roots	Lacquer red Garnet red Red Red Red	Wool Wool Cotton, linen Silk Leather	Alum Chrome Alum-tannic acid-alum Alum
Marigold (Tagetes app.)	Flowers	Yellow	Wool, silk	Alum
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)	Tops Roots Stems and leaves	Greenish-yellow Black Blue	Wool Wool wool	Alum None Boil with sorrel root to fix colour after dyeing
Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora var.Torreyana)	Leaves and fruit	Blue	Wool
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca )	Herb	Dark green	Wool
Nettle (Urtica dioica)	Herb	Greenlsh-yellow	Wool	Alum
Onion (Album ceps)	Outside skins	Burnt orange Brass Green	Wool Wool Wool	Alum Chrome Copperas and blue vitriol
Osage-orange (Madura pomifera)	Bark (extract available)	Yellowish-tan Gold Yellowish-tan	Wool Wool Cotton	Alum Chrome Alum-tannic acid-alum
Peach tree (Prunus persica)	Leaves	Yellow	Wool	Alum
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulchenima )	Flower bracts	Red	wool
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)	Fruit	Red	wool
Pomegranate (Punica granatum)	Skin of fruit	Yellow Brown Violet-blue	Cloth Cloth Cloth	Alum Iron water* Iron water followed potassium carbonate
* Made by boiling rusty iron in vinegar and water.
Privet (Ligustrum vulgare)	Branch tips Fruit	Yellow Gold Blue	Wool Wool Wool	Alum chrome
Red alder (Alnus rubra)	Bark	Red	Wool
Red maple (Acer rubrmn)		Olive Grey	Wool Wool	Alum Copperas
Rooibos (Combretum apiculatum)	Bark	Brown Brownish-yellow	Wool Wool	Copperas Alum, chrome, Tin
Rose of China (Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis)	Flowers Stalks and flowers with calyx	Yellow Brown Lavender to purplish grey Olive-green	Wool Wool Wool Wool	Alum, chrome Tin Copperas Alum, chrome
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)	Bark	Gray	Wool
Safflower (Catbemus tinctorius)	Flower	Yellow Yellow Scarlet	Wool, silk Leather Cloth	Alum Dye over turmeric
Saffron (Mocus sativus)	Stigmas	Yellow	Wool, silk	Alum
St. johnswort (Hypericum perforatum)	Tops	Yellow	Wool	Alum
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)		Yellow	Wool
Scotch broom (Cytisus seopadus)	Flowers Flowering branches	Light green Yellow Green	Wool Wool Wool	Alum Alum, chrome Dye over indigo
Shave grass (Equisetum arvense)	Sterile stallta	Yellow Grey-green Grass-green	Wool, cotton, linen Wool, cotton, linen Wool, cotton, linen	Alum Copperas Blue vitriol
Smartweed (Polygonum hydropiper)		Yellow Gold	Wool, cotton, linen Wool, cotton, linen	Alum Chrome
Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)		Greenish-yellow	Wool
Sticklewort (Agrimonia eupatoria)	Stalks and leaves	Yellow	Wool	Alum, chrome
Sumac (Rhus glabra)	Ripe fruit Dry leaves and shoots Roots	Yellowish-tan Grey Tan to dark brown Yellow to orange	Wool cotton Wool, cotton Wool, cotton Wool, cotton	Alum Copperas None
Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)	Plant	Yellow	Wool	Boil in ammonia to make dye bath
Sunflower (Helianthas annuus)	Ray flowers	Yellow	Wool
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)	Dried leaves	Yellowish blue-brown	Wool	Iron water
Tall field buttercup (Ranunadus acris)	Tope	Purple	wool	Baking soda
Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)	Leaves	Yellow-green	Wool
Tea (They sinensis)	Leaves		drool
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)	Rootstock	Yellow Gold-brown	Cloth Cloth	Potassium carbonate, citric acid Iron water followed by slaked lime (calcium hydroxide)
Valley Oak (Quercus lobata )	Bark	Black	Wool	Iron water
Virgin's bower (Clematis virginiana)	Twigs and leaves	Yellow	Wool
Wan myrtle (Myrica cerifera)		Grey-green	Wool	Alum
Weld (Reseda lateola)	Herb	Lemon-yellow Golden-yellow Yellow	Wool Wool Silk	Alum Chrome Chrome
White birch (Betide alba)	Young leaves	Green Yellow	Wool Wool	Alum Chalk
White mulberry (Morus albs)	Bark and wood	Yellow	Wool	Alum
White oak (Quercis alba)	Bark	Brown	Wool
Wild crab apple (Mains baocata)	Herb	Yellow	wool
wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare)	Leaves	Reddish	Wool	Alum
Woad (Isatis tinctoria)	Herb	Blue	Wool	Alum, Potash (potassium carbonate)
Yellow bedstraw (Galium verum)	Roots Flowering tops	Light red Purplish-red Yellow	Wool Wool Wool	Alum Chrome Chrome
Yellow dock (Rumex crispus)	Roots	Black	Wool	Chrome
Yellow root (Xanthorhiza simplicissima)	Roots	Yellow	wool

Autonopedia

List Of Plant Dyes By Plant

Main Menu