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Yellow Dyes

Botanic Dyes: Index Dye-Catalogue

Aconitum carmichaelii

Monkshood

Purple flowers. Dye Colour: Yellow, Grey-Blues.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

19840078*A

Aconitum carmichaelii

Monkshood

Ranunculoideae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Garden Origin

Flowers

NW6

Summer – Autumn

 

Method:

  • Heat dried or fresh flowers in water and reduced by 1/4 
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Yellow
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Green / Blues
  • Handle plant with care

 

Alnus glutinosa

Common Alder

Light green and brown catkins with mid-green leaves. Dye colour: Yellow, Tans and Brown.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

19520284*A

Alnus glutinosa

Common Alder

Betulaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Old World

Leaves

SE15

Summer – Autumn

 

Method:

  • Cut the tree leaves into small pieces and pour boiling water in a pan and soak overnight (pH6)
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Yellowish-Green
  • Add Tin mordant (pH2) = Yellow
  • Add Potash mordant (pH2) = Burnt Orange / Brownish-Rust / Golden Yellow
  • Add Iron Sulphate mordant (pH1) = Black

 

Atrope Belladonna lutea

Belladonna

Dark black berries and green pointy leaves. Dye colour: Purple, Blue and Yellow.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

19990116*A

Atropa Belladonna lutea

Belladonna

Solanaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Garden Origin

Berries

SW7-1

Summer

 

Method:

  • Add fresh crushed berries to hot water and leave to soak (pH10)
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Yellow
  • Add Alum mordant (pH3) = Purple and Blue
  • Handle plant with care

 

Calendula officinalis

Marigold

Ornage flower with many petals. Dye Colour: Yellow and Orange.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20100121*A

Calendula officinalis

Marigold

Asteroideae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Spain

Flowers

SW9-23

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heat the flowers in water and reduced by 1/4.
  • Add Alum mordant (pH3) = Yellow 
  • Add Tin mordant then a small amount of chalk = Orange paint

 

Corylus avellana

Hazel

Veined green jaggered leaves. Dye Colour: Tan-Yellow and Brown.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20160234*A

Corylus avellana

Hazel

Betulaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Temperate Asia, Europe

Leaves

NE5-1

Summer-Autumn

 

Method:

  • Heat the fresh leaves in water.
  • Add Alum mordant (pH3) = Yellow
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) Brownish-Yellow
  • Add Tin mordant (pH2) = Yellow

 

Crocus speciosus

Crocus

Purple veined petals with bright ornage stamens. Dye Colour: Yellow and Light-Salmon Pink.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

19510524*A

Crocus speciosus

Crocus

Iridaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Endemic to Transcaucasus

Stamens / Petals

NW11-15

Summer-Autumn

 

Method:

  • Separate the Stamens from the petals
  • Heat petals in water (pH7)
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Yellow
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Salmon-Pink
  • Add Iron mordant (pH1) = Olive-Green / Brownish-Tan

 

Dahlia catus orfeo

Dahlia

Magenta-Pink flower with Yellow-Orange centre with green leaves. Dye Colour: Yellow and Tan-Orange.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20220126*B

Dahlia catus orfeo

Dahlia

Asteraceae subfam

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Garden Origin

Flowers

NE5-10

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heat flowers in water and reduce down to a 1/4 (pH7)
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Yellow-Orange
  • If the dye is painted onto aluminium-foil it can produce an imitation gold colour.

 

Datisca Cannabina

Datisca

Long jaggered green veined leaves. Dye Colour: Soft-Yellow and Bright-Yellow

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

19400020*A

Datisca Cannabina

Dahlia

Datiscaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Old World

Leaves

SW6-10

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heat the fresh leaves in water and reduce down to a 1/4 (pH7)
  • Add Alum mordant (pH3) = Yellow

 

Eschscholzia caifornica

Californian poppy

Orange-Yellow flower. Dye Colour: Yellow and Olive-Greens

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20100678*B

Eschscholzia caifornica

Californian poppy

Papaveraceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

North America

Flowers

SW5-4

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heat the fresh flowers in water and reduce down to a 1/4
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Yellow
  • Add Bicarbonate of Soda mordant (pH9) = Olive-Yellow
  • The more flowers the denser the colour

 

Frangula alnus

Buckthorn

Light-Green unripe berries and jaggered green leaves. Dye Colour: Yellow, Tans and Browns.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20040477*A

Frangula alnus

Buckthorn

Rhamnaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Old World

Unripe Berries

SE4-1

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heat the unripe berries in water and reduce down to a 1/4
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Yellow

 

Fuchsia Mrs Popple

Fuchsia

Red petalled hanging flowers with green leaves. Dye Colour: Tan-Yellow and Brown

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20060319*C

Fuchsia ‘Mrs Popple’

Fuchsia

Onagraceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Garden Origin

Flowers

SW9-7

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heat the flowers in water and reduce down to a 1/4
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Tan-Yellow

 

Genista tinctoria

Broom

Pale Yellow small flowers. Dye Colour: Yellow

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20090115*A

Genista tinctoria

Broom

Fabaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Garden Origin

Flowers

NW28

Summer – Autumn

 

Method:

  • Heat dried or fresh flowers in water and reduced by half
  • Add Alum mordant to the dye (pH3) = Yellow

 

Hibiscus syriacus

Hibiscus   

Liliac five-petalled flowers with dark purple and yellow centre. Dye Colour Pale-Yellow, Olive and Brown.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20150831*A

Hibiscus syriacus

Hibiscus

Malvaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Garden Origin

Flowers

SE5-23

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heat the unripe berries in water and reduce down to a 1/4
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Olive-Green
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Pale Yellow
  • Add Iron Sulphate mordant (pH2) = Brown

 

Hypericum perforatum

St John’s Wort

Cluster of small Yellow flowers. Dye Colour: Tan-Yellow and Olive Greens.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20190379*B

Hypericum perforatum

St John’s Wort

Malvaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Old World

Flowers

SW5-17

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heat the flowers in water and reduce down to a 1/4
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Yellow /  Olive-Green on chamois leather
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Pale Yellow
  • Add Bicarbonate of Soda mordant (pH8) = Yellow

 

Iris sibirica Tycoon

Iris

Liliac-Purple flowers with Yellow shades. Dye Colour: Light-Mustard-Yellow and Olive-Green.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20020293*B

Iris sibirica Tycoon

Iris

Iridaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Garden Origin

Flowers

NW6

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heat the flowers in water and reduce down to a 1/2
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Yellow
  • Add Alum with small amount of chalk = Pea-Green
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Darker Green

 

Jasninium humile

Jasmine

Five-petalled Yellow Flower. Dye Colour: Pale-Yellow, Light Salmon and Rusty shade.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

10005453*A

Jasninium humile

Jasmine

Oleaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

W Himalaya

Flowers

SW15

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heat the flowers in water and reduce down to a 1/4
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Yellow
  • Add Tin mordant (pH2) = Yellow
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Pale Pink
  • Add Iron Sulphate mordant (pH2) = Rust

 

Mahonia napaulensis

Oregon grape

Medium size Green spiked leaves and elongated Yellow flower pods. Dye Colour: Yellow, Light-Pinks and Olive-Greens.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

19750284*A

Mahonia napaulensis

Oregon grape

Berberidaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

India

Bark

NW20

Summer – Autumn

 

Method:

  • The fruits are heated in water and reduced by half

  • Add Iron Sulphate mordant to the dye (pH2) = Black-Grey

  • Add Tin mordant to the dye (pH2) = Pinkish Colour

  • Add Alum mordant (pH3) = Yellows

 

Morus nigra

Black Mulberry

Jaggered Green leaves and Reddish-Pink fruit. Dye Colour: Yellow, Light-Pink and Black.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

19880440*A

Morus nigra

Black Mulberry

Moraceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Endemic to Iran

Leaves

SE4

Summer – Autumn

 

Method:

  • Heat the leaves in water and reduce down 1/4 (Ph8)
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Yellow
  • Add Bicarbonate of Soda mordant (pH9) = Deeper Yellow
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Salmon-Pinks
  • Add Iron Sulphate mordant (pH4) = Greenish / Blacks

 

Papaver rhoeas

Common Poppy

Jaggered Green leaves. Dye Colour: Yellow.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20140057*C

Papaver rhoeas

Common Poppy

Papaveraceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Old World

Leaves

SW5-4

Summer – Autumn

 

Method:

  • Poppy leaves are heated in water then reduced to 1/4 
  • Add Alum mordant and small amount of isinglass to the dye = Yellow  
  • Adding isinglass glue helps to preserve and prolong the colour from the degradation effects from daylight and atmospheric impurities. 

 

Persicaria amplexicaulis

Persicaria 

Clustered Pink flowers and pointed Green leaves. Dye Colour: Light-Mustard-Yellow, Rusts and Browns.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20140914*A

Persicaria amplexicaulis

Persicaria

Polygonaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Garden Origin

Leaves

NE18

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heat the flowers in water and reduce down 1/4 (pH5)
  • Add Alum mordant (pH2) = Tan-Yellows
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Rusty-Browns (Flowers)
  • Add Iron Sulphate mordant (pH2) = Browns

 

Reseda lutea

Weld

Yellow flowered stalks. Dye Colour: Light-Yellow and Sunshine Yellow.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20060490*C

Reseda lutea

Weld

Resedaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Old World

Whole Plant

SW5

Summer – Autumn

 

Method:

  • Heat the whole plant in water and reduce down 1/4 (pH5)
  • Add Alum mordant (pH2) = Bright Yellow

 

Rudbeckia laciniate

Coneflower

Yellow flower with rounded centre. Dye Colour: Buff-Tans and Olive-Greens.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

10006455*A

Rudbeckia laciniate

Coneflower

Asteroideae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

N America

Flowers / Leaves

SE7

Summer – Autumn

 

Method:

  • Soaked the flowers overnight (pH7)
  • Heated the flowers in water and reduced by 1/4
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Greenish-Yellow / Lime-Green-Olive
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Tan-Yellow

 

Ruta chalepensis

Rue

Star-shaped clustered Yellow flowers and grey-Green leaves. Dye Colours: Yellow and Olive-Green.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

19830672*A

Ruta chalepensis

Rue

Rutaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Old World

Leaves

SW5-19

Spring to Autumn

 

Method:

  • Rue leaves and stem is crushed in a pestle & mortar
  • Squeeze the leaves through a fine mesh cloth = Green Juice
  • Mix verdigris pigment to the rue juice = Bottle Green
  • Historic colourant used on medieval illuminated manuscripts
  • Handle plant with care

 

Salvia patens

Gentian Sage

Finger-shaped vivid Blue flower and Green stalk. Dye Colour: Pale-Yellow and Greenish-Yellow.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

19920023*A

Salvia patens

Gentian Sage

Lamiaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

America – Mexico

Flowers

NW16-7

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heated the flowers in water and reduce by 1/4 (pH7)
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Yellow / Light Salmon
  • Add Bicarbonate of Soda mordant (pH8) = Greenish-Yellow

 

Solidago canadensis

Goldenrod

Golden-Yellow elongated-clustered flowers. Dye Colour: Greenish-Yellow, Browns and Light-Salmon Pink.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

19583614*A

Solidago canadensis

Goldenrod

Lamiaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

N America

Whole Plant

SE5

Summer

 

Method:

  • Heated the whole plant in water and reduce by 1/4 (pH7)
  • Add Alum mordant (pH3) = Yellow
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Salmon
  • Add Iron Sulphate mordant (pH2) = Black-Brown

 

Sorbus aucuparia

Rowan

Cluster of Red berries mid-Green leaves. Dye Colour: Light-Mustard Yellow, Salmon Pink and Brown.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

19752211*A

Sorbus aucuparia

Rowan

Rosaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Northern Hemisphere

Leaves

SW19

Summer-Autumn

 

Method:

  • Heated the leaves in water and reduce by 1/4 (pH5)
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Yellow
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Reddish-Salmon
  • Add Iron Sulphate mordant (pH4) = Black-Brown

 

Spartium junceum

Spanish Broom

Yellow flower and long stems. Dye Colour: Yellow and Rust.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20090311*D

Spartium junceum

Spanish Broom

Faboideae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

Old World

Flowers / Leaves

NW17-2

Summer-Autumn

 

Method:

  • Heated the flowers in water and reduce by 1/4 (pH7)
  • Add Alum mordant (pH4) = Yellow
  • Add Potash mordant (pH12) = Deeper Yellow
  • Add Bicarbonate of Soda (pH8) = Sunny Yellow
  • Add Alum + Potash (pH6) = Bright Yellow

 

Strophocactus wittii

Moonflower

White flower with multiple petals and Green leaves. Dye Colour: Pale Moon-Yellow.

Accession Number

Taxon Name

Common Name

Family

20151068*A

Strophocactus wittii

Moonflower

Cactaceae

Provenance

Part of Plant

Location Code

Season

S America

Flowers

NW15

–

 

Method:

  • Heated the flowers in Vodka and reduce by 1/4 (pH7)

Further information in forthcoming Moonflower Paper.


 


 

Botanic Dyes

Botanic Dyes

CUBG Artist-in-Residence (2023-24), Nabil Ali created a public Index Dye-Catalogue in the Garden, supported by Arts Council England.
Blue Dyes

Blue Dyes

Botanic Dyes: Index Dye-Catalogue
Black Dyes

Black Dyes

Botanic Dyes: Index Dye-Catalogue
University of Cambridge Museums and Botanic Garden

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