Aconitum carmichaelii
Monkshood
![Purple flowers. Dye Colour: Yellow, Grey-Blues.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Aconitum-carmichaelii-1024x676.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Alnus-glutinosa-1024x685.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Atrope-Belladonna-lutea-1-1024x690.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Calendula-officinalis-1024x681.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Corylus-avellana--1024x687.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Crocus-speciosus-1024x682.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Dahlia-catus-orfeo-1024x684.png)
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](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Datisca-Cannabina-1024x682.png)
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](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Eschscholzia-caifornica-1024x678.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Frangula-alnus-1024x681.png)
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](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fuchsia-Mrs-Popple-1024x683.png)
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](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Genista-tinctoria2-1024x688.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Hibiscus-syriacus-1024x678.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Hypericum-perforatum-1024x676.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Iris-sibirica-Tycoon-1024x684.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jasninium-humile-1024x685.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mahonia-napaulensis-1024x680.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morus-nigra-leaves-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 – 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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Papaver-rhoeas-Yellow-1024x683.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Persicaria-amplexicaulis-1024x689.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Reseda-lutea-1024x683.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rudbeckia-laciniate-1024x684.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Ruta-chalepensis-1024x681.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Salvia-patens-1024x677.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Solidago-canadensis-1024x680.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sorbus-aucuparia--1024x692.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Spartium-junceum--1024x682.png)
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.](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Strophocactus-wittii--1024x703.png)
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.
![](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Botanic-Dyes-Logo-2-1024x863.jpg)