12 dye plants for botanical dyes

Shades of yellow & orange

Yellows are fairly easy to obtain and a wide range of shades can be produced, 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 form the saffron threads and have an astonishing colouring power: a measure of saffron can colour up to 100,000 times its volume of water yellow. Saffron is also a sought-after spice for its incomparable aroma and its medicinal properties. This attractive autumn bulb should be grown in full sun in very well-drained soil, even calcareous and dry in summer.

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

Anthemis tinctoria is a herbaceous perennial (family Asteraceae), from which golden-yellow pigments are extracted from its dried flowers. Dyer’s chamomile forms attractive compact clumps, very floriferous, made up of small pale-yellow daisies with a golden-yellow central disc. Like other varieties of Anthemis, it is unfazed by rocky, poor, well-drained soils and thrives in full sun.

Common heather (Calluna vulgaris) – Bronze yellow

All common heathers can produce lovely pigments in very varied shades. A decoction of heather yields a very beautiful burnished yellow while young shoots from early spring give a more olive-tinged, bronze yellow. Calluna or common heather (family Ericaceae) is adorned with a multitude of small pink bells in August and September to brighten rock gardens, pathway borders or woodland edges. It is also well suited to cultivation in pots and containers, where it will form attractive seasonal displays.

Dyer’s greenweed (Genista tinctoria) – Yellow

Pigments present in fresh flowers of dyer’s greenweed produce various shades of yellow, ranging from bright yellow to golden yellow depending on the variety used. This small shrub forms a handsome woody clump that flowers profusely in May–June. Sun-loving and lightly scented, the greenweed is superb as a specimen, in a border or at the front of a bed. It prefers poor, well-drained soils and full sun, but dislikes stagnant moisture. It also has medicinal properties.

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

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

Shades of red

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

Le Cosmos sulfureux (Cosmos sulphureus) – red

From the daisy family, cosmos are undoubtedly among the easiest annuals to grow. The flowers of Cosmos sulphureus (orange-flowered) yield a red dye and paint, while their stems give yellow shades. In containers, in beds or as edging, Cosmos sulphureus bloom from June and do not disappear until the first frosts. Their long flowering will attract bees and butterflies to the garden.

Le Dahlia (Dahlia) – Orange to bright orange-red

The dahlia flower (dahlia, family Asteraceae) yields a lovely orange, more or less intense depending on the strength of the dye baths. Shades can also range from orange to red via pink, depending on flower colour. As with Cosmos sulphureus 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 continue all summer, whether you grow it in open ground or in containers.

La Symphorine (Symphoricarpos albus) – Reddish brown

Also known as the “pearl tree”, Symphorine is a very decorative shrub, often planted in hedges. Its discreet pink bell summer flowers turn into very graphic white berries that persist until January. Its tannins are revealed by photo-oxidation (oxidation under the effect of light) and produce reddish-brown tones. This beauty favours biodiversity in the garden as its flowering is melliferous and its berries attract insects and birds!

Shades of blue & purple

Periwinkle, ceanothus, agapanthus, plumbago or hydrangea, many blue flowers grow in the garden, but few have dyeing properties. However, a few can be used for dyeing, including….

Dyer’s woad (Isatis tinctoria) – Blue

Most famous of all, Isatis tinctoria, better known as dyer’s woad or pastel des teinturiers, or as herbe du Lauragais, is an herbaceous plant native to Central and East Asia and southeastern Europe. Do not be fooled by its yellow flowers, but look to its foliage, from which the blue pigment called indigo is extracted. It is in fact the only European plant to naturally provide this pigment, although extracting its colour involves long, complex stages. Isatis conquered the great courts of Europe. A colour of nobility, blue and its many shades were also used by painters and decorators. In France, it brought wealth to the south-west, particularly Albi and Toulouse.

Isatis is a pretty ornamental plant that fits well into flower beds and is used to make lively bouquets. It can be used in the vegetable patch like mustard; its flowers and leaves are eaten in salads. It likes exposed, sunny, well-drained sites. Truly full of resources, Isatis is also an ancient medicinal plant, recognised for dermatological virtues, notably wound-healing properties. A quick reminder from Greek «Isado» meaning «to heal»!

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) – Blue