Dye Plants

topic posted Tue, February 5, 2008 - 7:14 PM by  sierra
I'm looking for seeds for dye plants. Especially plants that will do well in hot dry cold at night conditions.
posted by:
sierra
Colorado
  • Re: Dye Plants

    Tue, February 5, 2008 - 8:03 PM
    have you tried looking thru the seed selection of horizonherbs.com? you may find some very useful ones there.
  • Re: Dye Plants

    Tue, February 5, 2008 - 8:10 PM
    How about pokeweed?

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poke_berry

    Pokeweed berries yield a red ink or dye, which was once used by Native Americans to decorate their horses. The United States Declaration of Independence was written in fermented pokeberry juice (hence the common name 'inkberry'). Many letters written home during the American Civil War were written in pokeberry ink; the writing in these surviving letters appears brown. The red juice has also been used to symbolize blood, as in the anti-slavery protest of Benjamin Lay. A beautiful rich brown dye can be made by soaking fabrics in fermenting berries in a hollowed-out pumpkin.

    It grows like mad around my place here to the point of being invasive. I don't have any seeds right now as they aren't something I'd have saved. BUT I do know where they were growing around here and I might be able to harvest some rootstock. It's perennial so that might work out.
    • Re: Dye Plants

      Wed, February 6, 2008 - 8:05 AM
      oh i just finished planting my 'test' seeds.....you know, to see if the seed i saved grows....
      safflower!!! i love it, best done in group plantings for a great effect...it is a dye plant and great saffron substitute...
      • Re: Dye Plants

        Thu, February 7, 2008 - 11:13 AM
        onions make good yellows. Also walnut husks make good browns if you have walnut trees around. Red cabbage~I have had good results with easter eggs but not fabric.
  • Re: Dye Plants

    Thu, February 7, 2008 - 12:40 PM
    Pretty sure Pokeweed will not grow here...(ovewrwinter..it's a perennial) try...
    -Berries (Rubus sp.) blacks and reds.
    -Elder (Sambucus nigra) for blacks and purples
    -Privet berries (Ligustrum sp,) blue/green
    -Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) yellow
    Coffee grounds for browns...

    Happy dying,
    ~SeedPlanter

    BTW, did ya get the dill?
    • Re: Dye Plants

      Sat, February 9, 2008 - 6:57 AM
      Thanks for the Dill! I received it a few days ago. Do you know how early I can plant it? I love dill so much...Especially in creamy tomato soup. Ever tried it?
    • Re: Dye Plants

      Sat, February 9, 2008 - 7:02 AM
      What kind of perennials do grow here? Do any? I know rhubarb does. How about culinary herbs... does parsely? I know sage does not.

      I learned something new today. Thx.
      • Re: Dye Plants

        Sun, February 10, 2008 - 8:10 AM
        You can plant Dill anytime really it will sprout when it is ready....Parsley is a biennial so only two years on that one...

        Thyme, oregano, sage(culinary), rosemary, fennel, mint, peppermint, lemon balm, should all be good on the front range...Basil is annual...Marjoram is annual,

        What else you want....I have seeds for all of those if you want...

        ALOT of good medicinal perennials grow in Colorado...

        Happy Planting,
        SeedPlanter

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