Arbutus unedo
Strawberry Tree
![Dark jaggered leaves with small orange and yellow spikey fruits. Dye colour: Plum and Black.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Arbutus-unedo-Strawberry-Tree3-1024x680.png)
Accession Number |
Taxon Name |
Common Name |
Family |
19760121*A |
Arbutus unedo |
Strawberry Tree |
Ericaceae |
Provenance |
Part of Plant |
Location Code |
Season |
Old World |
Fruits |
NW14-2 |
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
Castanea sativa
Sweet Chestnut
![Long jaggered green leaves with spikey round fruits. Dye colour: Brown and Black.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Castanea-sativa-Sweet-Chestnut2-1024x675.png)
Accession Number |
Taxon Name |
Common Name |
Family |
10005834*A |
Castanea sativa |
Sweet Chestnut |
Fagaceae |
Provenance |
Part of Plant |
Location Code |
Season |
Asia / Europe |
Leaves |
NW17-18 |
Summer – Autumn |
Method:
- The leaves are ripped into small pieces and left to soak over night in scalding water, then reheated and reduced by half (pH7)
- Add Iron Sulphate mordant to the dye (pH2) = Black
- Add Potash mordant to the dye (pH12) = Brownish-Yellow
Cotinus coggygria
Smoke Tree
![Dark green veined leaves. Dye colour: Black.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Cotinus-coggygria-Smke-Tree3-1024x683.png)
Accession Number |
Taxon Name |
Common Name |
Family |
19940020*A |
Cotinus coggygria |
Smoke Tree |
Anacardiaceae |
Provenance |
Part of Plant |
Location Code |
Season |
Old World |
Leaves |
NW18 |
Spring – Autumn |
Method:
- The leaves are ripped into small pieces and left to soak over night in scalding water, then reheated and reduced by half (pH6)
- Add Iron Sulphate mordant to the dye (pH1) = Black
Gunnera manicata
Giant Rhubarb
![Very large green leaves. Dye colour: Black.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Gunnera-manicata-Giant-Rhubarb3-1024x679.png)
Accession Number |
Taxon Name |
Common Name |
Family |
19530139 |
Gunnera manicata |
Giant Rhubarb |
Gunneraceae |
Provenance |
Part of Plant |
Location Code |
Season |
Endemic to Brazil |
Roots |
NW7 |
Autumn – Winter |
Method:
- The roots are soaked over night in water, reheated and reduced to a third (pH2)
- Add Iron Sulphate mordant to the dye (pH2) = Black
Morus nigra
Black Mulberry
![Jaggered leaves with red fruit. Dye colour: Tan and Black.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Morus-nigra-Black-Mulberry2-1024x678.png)
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 |
Method:
- The leaves are ripped into small pieces then heated in water and reduced by half (pH8)
- Add Iron Sulphate to the dye (pH4) = Green then turns Black
- Add Alum mordant to the dye (pH4) = Yellow-Tan
Oenothera biennis
Evening Primrose
![Yellow flowers and green leaves. Dye colour: Black.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Oenothera-biennia-Evening-Primrose3-1024x683.png)
Accession Number |
Taxon Name |
Common Name |
Family |
20110092*A |
Oenothera biennis |
Evening Primrose |
Onagraceae |
Provenance |
Part of Plant |
Location Code |
Season |
N America |
Flowers |
SW9-7 |
Summer |
Method:
- Heated a handful of flowers in water and reduced by half (pH7)
- Add Iron Sulphate mordant to the dye (pH4) = Grey-Black
- Add Alum mordant to the dye (pH3) = Soft Mustard Yellow
Osmanthus decorus
Osmanthus
![Oblong green leaves witdark and light purple berries. Dye colour: Grey-Black.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Osmanthus-decorum3-1024x683.png)
Accession Number |
Taxon Name |
Common Name |
Family |
10006382*A |
Osmanthus decorus |
Osmanthus |
Oleaceae |
Provenance |
Part of Plant |
Location Code |
Season |
Turkey |
Fuits |
SW14 |
Summer |
Method:
- The leaves are ripped into small pieces then heated in water and reduced by half (pH8)
- Add Iron Sulphate mordant to the dye (pH4) = Grey-Black
Prunus lusitanica
Portuguese Laurel
![Smooth rounded black berries. Dye colour: Purple, Blue and Black.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Prunus-lustitanica-Portuguese-Laurel2-1024x676.png)
Accession Number |
Taxon Name |
Common Name |
Family |
19762597*A |
Prunus lusitanica |
Portuguese Laurel |
Rosaceae |
Provenance |
Part of Plant |
Location Code |
Season |
N Africa / Europe |
Ripe Berries |
NW17 |
Summer – Autumn |
Method:
- Heated a handful of ripe berries in clear vinegar
- No mordant used on chamois leather (pH4) = Blue-Black
- No mordant on cotton = Blue
- Add Tin mordant to the dye (pH2) = Pinkish-Purple
Punica granatum
Pomegranate
![Long green leaves with red flower. Dye colour: Black.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Punica-granatum-Pomegranate3-1024x681.png)
Accession Number |
Taxon Name |
Common Name |
Family |
19690183*A |
Punica granatum |
Pomegranate |
Lythraceae |
Provenance |
Part of Plant |
Location Code |
Season |
CUBG – Tropical Asia |
Flowers |
NE5 |
Summer – Autumn |
Method:
- Heat a handful of pomegranate flowers in water and reduce by half
- Add Iron Sulphate mordant (pH2) = Black
Sorbus intermedia
Swedish White-beam
![Jaggered green leaves with light green unripe berries. Dye colour: Pinkish Fawn and Black.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sorbus-intermedia-Swedish-White-Beam2-1024x675.png)
Accession Number |
Taxon Name |
Common Name |
Family |
19550252*A |
Sorbus intermedia |
Swedish White-beam |
Rosaceae |
Provenance |
Part of Plant |
Location Code |
Season |
N Europe |
Unripe Berries |
SW16 |
Summer |
Method:
- Crush and heat the berries in water for several hours and reduce by half (pH4)
- Add Iron Sulphate mordant to the dye (pH4) = Green then turns Black on chamois leather
- Add Potash mordant to the dye (pH12) = Pinkish Fawn
Sorghum bicolor
Kafir Corn
![Red and green blades of long grass with seed heads. Dye colour: Tan-Yellow, Brown, Soft Green and Black.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sorghum-bicolor-Kafir-Corn2-1024x680.png)
Accession Number |
Taxon Name |
Common Name |
Family |
20070024*D |
Sorghum bicolor |
Kafir Corn |
Panicoideae |
Provenance |
Part of Plant |
Location Code |
Season |
Tropical Africa |
Leaves |
Behind the Scenes |
Summer – Autumn |
Method:
- Scald the red leaves in water and left over night, reheated and reduced by half (pH7)
- Add Iron Sulphate mordant to the dye (pH1) = Dark Brown then turns Black on chamois leather
- Add Potash mordant to the dye (pH12) = Greenish-Yellow / Tan-Yellow
- Add Tin mordant to the dye (pH2) = Purple then turn Green on chamois leather
![Botanic Dyes Colour Research Logo](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Botanic-Dyes-Logo-2-1024x863.jpg)