Susanne Grosjean, of the Wednesday Spinners group in Downeast Maine, says, “You need only three dye plants: indigo for blue, madder for red and weld for yellow. Three primary colors, all excellent color-fast dye plants.”
Coreopsis tinctoria Open-pollinated. Beautiful native ornamental. Provides a full palette of color from yellows and greens to rusts and browns-and even black.
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Persicaria tinctoria Open-pollinated. Japanese indigo preferred by dyers in Maine. A tender annual, indigo thrives in fertile soil and likes heat and humidity.
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Rubia tinctorum Open-pollinated. Ancient and excellent source of red dye. Harvest roots after three years and grind to yield a wash- and light-fast red dye par excellence. 4' plants.
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Saponaria officinalis Open-pollinated. Not a dye plant; saponin-rich roots and leaves used to gently wash wool. Sweetly clove-scented pink perennial attracts pollinators. 3' plant.
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Alchemilla mollis Open-pollinated. Perennial. 12-18" Bears large loose sprays of tiny greenish-yellow flowers from early summer onward. Makes a good border and ground cover in shady locations.
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Helianthus annuus (90-100 days) Open-pollinated. Rare indigenous heirloom used as a natural dye source for coloring baskets purplish charcoal. Also edible. 8' stalks.
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