12 dye plants for plant-based dyes

Shades of yellow & orange

Yellows are fairly easy to obtain and the range of shades is very wide, from burnished yellows to blazing oranges.

Saffron (Crocus sativus) – Intense yellow to orange

The saffron crocus is a perennial bulb with pretty mauve flowers (family Iridaceae), whose red stigmas constitute saffron and have a remarkable colouring power: one measure of saffron can colour up to 100,000 times its volume of water. Saffron is also a sought-after spice for its incomparable aroma and its medicinal properties. This pretty autumn bulb should be grown in sun in very free-draining soil, even calcareous, and kept dry in summer.

Dyer’s chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria) – Yellow, lemon yellow, golden yellow, olive green

Anthemis tinctoria is an herbaceous perennial plant (family Asteraceae), from which golden-yellow pigments are extracted from dried flowers. Dyer’s chamomile forms attractive, compact clumps, very floriferous, composed of small pale yellow daisies with golden-yellow centres. Like other varieties of Anthemis, it tolerates stony, poor, well-drained soils and thrives in full sun.

Common heather (Calluna vulgaris) – Bronze yellow

All common heathers can yield attractive pigments in a wide variety of shades. A decoction of heather produces a very beautiful burnished yellow while young spring shoots give a more olive, bronze-yellow tone. Calluna or common heather (family Ericaceae) is adorned with a multitude of small pink bells in August and September to brighten rockeries, path borders or woodland edges. It also adapts very well to container growing and window boxes, where it will create lovely seasonal displays.

Dyer’s greenweed (Genista tinctoria) – Yellow

Pigments present in the fresh flowers of dyer’s greenweed produce different shades of yellow, ranging from bright yellow to golden yellow depending on variety used. This small bush forms a handsome woody clump that flowers abundantly in May–June. Sunny and slightly scented, greenweed is superb as a specimen, in a border or as the first planting in a bed. It prefers poor, well-drained soils and full sun but dislikes stagnant moisture. It also possesses medicinal properties.

St John’s wort (Hypericum) – Golden yellow, orange and copper

Tradition holds that the “plant of a thousand holes” is harvested on Midsummer’s Eve, the summer solstice. Its flowers then produce a beautiful golden-yellow or, depending on strength of the baths, coppery tones, russets and oranges. Undemanding and fast-growing, St John’s wort (family Hypericaceae) is a perennial plant or a hardy bush that tolerates cold and adapts to all soils. It can be grown in the garden for its incomparable luminosity, or in a pot, where it will also thrive.

Shades of red

Many plants provide beautiful reds that adorn gardens with deep, luminous shades. Be surprised too by red plant dyes extracted from green plants…!

Sulphur cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) – red

Of the daisy family, cosmos are undoubtedly among the easiest annuals to grow. Red dye and paint are extracted from flowers of sulphur cosmos (orange-flowered), while their stems yield yellow shades. In containers, in beds or on borders, sulphur cosmos take off from June and do not disappear until first frosts. Their long flowering will attract bees and butterflies to the garden.

Dahlia (Dahlia) – orange to bright orange-red

Dahlia flower (dahlia) (family Asteraceae) yields a lovely orange, more or less intense depending on strength of dye baths. Shades can also range from orange to red via pink, depending on flower colour. As with sulphur cosmos or coreopsis, it is the flower petals that produce plant dyes. Shape, height, colour … there are many varieties of this tuberous plant. One thing is certain, whichever dahlia you choose, its flowering will renew throughout summer, whether grown in open ground or in containers.

Symphorine (Symphoricarpos albus) – brown-red

Also known as “pearl tree”, Symphorine is a very decorative bush, often planted as hedging. Its summer flowers, discreet pink bells, turn into very graphic white berries that persist until January. Its tannic acids are revealed by photo-oxidation (oxidation when exposed to light) and produce brown-red tones. This beauty favours biodiversity in the garden because its flowering is melliferous and its berries attract insects and birds!

Shades of blue & violet

Periwinkle, ceanothus, agapanthus, plumbago or hydrangea, many blue flowers are found in the garden, but few have dyeing properties. However, a few can be found, among them ….

Le Pastel des Teinturiers (Isatis tinctoria) – Blue

La plus célèbre d’entre toutes, Isatis tinctoria, plus connue sous le nom de guède ou de pastel des teinturiers, ou encore d’herbe du Lauragais, est une plante herbacée originaire d’Asie centrale et orientale ainsi que du sud-est de l’Europe. Ne vous fiez pas à ses fleurs jaunes, mais plutôt à son feuillage, dont on extrait le pigment bleu appelé indigo. C’est d’ailleurs la seule plante européenne à fournir naturellement ce pigment, même si l’extraction de sa couleur demande de longues étapes complexes. L’Isatis a conquis les grandes cours d’Europe. Couleur de noblesse, le bleu et ses multiples nuances furent aussi utilisés par les peintres et les décorateurs. En France, elle fit la richesse du Sud-Ouest, à Albi et Toulouse en particulier.

L’Isatis est une jolie plante ornementale qui s’intègre bien aux massifs de fleurs et sert à confectionner des bouquets vivifiants. Elle peut s’utiliser au potager comme la moutarde, ses fleurs et feuilles se consomment en salade. Elle aime les zones découvertes, ensoleillées et bien drainées. Décidément pleine de ressources, l’Isatis est également une plante médicinale ancestrale, reconnue pour ses vertus dermatologiques et notamment cicatrisantes. Un petit rappel du grec « Isado » qui signifie « Guérir » !

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) – Blue

The roots of the blackthorn yield a lovely slate blue. By mixing roots and berries, a colourful blue is obtained. From ripe sloes, gathered in October, a pretty pink can also be extracted, but it is fragile to washing. This large bush or small deciduous thorny tree with a bushy habit is a familiar feature of our landscapes, punctuating them in spring with a superb white flowering. Well known for its black, edible fruits — sloes sought by birds — it has its place in a country, defensive hedge. Perfectly hardy, truly robust and resilient, it favours fairly fertile clay-limestone soils and grows almost anywhere, without care or maintenance, even in dry soil.

Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) – Blue

This cornflower, also called centaury, is a perennial plant that is sown in spring directly in the ground, in all types of soil. Alongside poppies and grasses, it gives a slightly old-fashioned charm to naturalistic gardens. The deep, luminous blue of its flowers was long used for illumination. The cornflower flowers from June to August.

Hollyhock (Alcea rosea «nigra») – Purple, bluish-purple

Beautiful shades of purple to bluish-purple can be extracted from the petals of the purple hollyhock. This perennial (family Malvaceae) or biennial is a staple of cottage gardens where it thrives along walls sheltered from wind. Its flowering spikes, which can rise to over 2 metres, structure the garden and give it a little Île de Ré air! Hollyhocks come in a wide range of colours, from white to almost black purple, including powder pink, cream yellow, orange and red. Not only a dye plant, the hollyhock is also an edible plant : its flower buds and leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, in salads.

What about green, then?

Green dye can be obtained by mixing blues and yellows. You can also extract pretty green hues from decoctions of fern, elder or fig leaves.

It's your turn now!

Infusion, decoction and maceration make it fairly easy to obtain a coloured bath for dyeing materials. The higher the concentration of plant material, the more intense the colour. Each resulting shade is unique!

Whatever method you choose, the material to be dyed must be prepared to ensure the colour fixes properly. This step, called mordanting, can be carried out with three different mordants: alum, copper sulphate and iron sulphate.

Discover dye plants

If you want to explore the colours of your dye plants and create natural plant dyes, here is both a recipe notebook and a source of inspiration: Plant Dyes, published by Eyrolles. Its author, Aurélia Wolff, mixes leaves, roots, bark and flowers to create colour swatches that she explores on different materials: skeins of wool, yarns for weaving or knitting, organic fabrics or reclaimed cloth, and linen grown and made in France. Artisan above all, she shares in this book the fruits of her experience in natural dyeing and her respectful approach to the environment.

And for the most passionate, the Lauris Conservatory Garden of Dye Plants, located in the heart of the Luberon Regional Park, opens its doors and gardens from early May to late October. Situated on the castle terraces, this unique site in Europe grows nearly 250 species of dye plants. It offers a trail that is both entertaining and educational, which also raises awareness of environmental protection and respect for biodiversity. It is run by the Couleur Garance association.