Dyes on
Pern
The following list provides a list of colours and the
plants that can provide that coloured dye. Where I have been able to obtain
them, I have listed the required mordant for each colour/plant where I know them
but have been unable to obtain these for all.
Remember that no dye at any given time will match exactly
a previous dye. Also the
colours achieved can vary wildly dependant upon the area the plant grows and the
season in which it is picked and used.
Aconite
- Green-
from sheaves of flowers
Alfalfa
- Yellow shades with no mordant
from boiling the hay in water.
A sub variety the black medic
gives:
- Green yellow green with an Alum
Mordant from Black Medic
- Tan golden with Chrome
Mordant
- Green grey with
Copperas
- Yellow lemon with tin
mordant
Almond
- Green
- A green dye can be obtained from the leaves.
- Green
- A dark grey to green dye can be obtained from the fruit.
- Yellow
from the roots (no other info)
- Yellow An alum mordant from the
leaves.
Aloe Vera
- Yellow
no other information
Apples
- Red -
Pink - Crab apple with Alum Mordant
- Brown
- Tan with Alum Mordant from
bark
- Green
mid-green with Iron Mordant from bark
- Orange
light with Chrome Mordant from leaves and twigs
- Orange
apricot with Alum Mordant from leaves and twigs
- Yellow
dull gold with Alum Mordant from bark or twigs
- Yellow
light with Alum Mordant from leaves
Ash
- Green
- dye is obtained from the leaves.
- The
bark is a source of tannin.
- Yellow
with Alum Mordant
Black
Ash
- Blue -
dye can be obtained from the bark.
Red
Ash
- Red
- dye is extracted from the
bark.
Blue
Ash
- Blue - dye is obtained from the inner bark.
The bark is ground into a powder and then steeped in water in order to obtain
the dye.
Banana
- Brown
Various shades (no further info)
- Black
with an Iron Mordant from the flower clusters
Kidney
(French) beans
- Brown - dye is obtained from red kidney
beans
Birch
- Blue
Purple with Alum Mordant from inner bark
- Brown
Tan, no mordant, from inner bark
- Yellow
bright with Alum Mordant from leaves
- Yellow
deep gold with Alum Mordant from bark
- Red
from silver birch
- Orange
from silver birch
- Grey
from white part of inner bark
Blackberries
- Terran
- Purple
to dull blue with Alum Mordant is obtained from the fruit.
- Purple
Bright with Tin Mordant from the fruit
- Tan
reddish, with Alum Mordant from the vines and leaves of young
plants
- Black
blue-black with Iron Mordant from young green
shoots
- Green
dark green with Chrome Mordant from fresh berries
- Grey
dark with Iron Mordant from young shoots
- Grey
blue with Alum Mordant from berries
- Red
rose pink with Alum Mordant from fresh berries
- Yellow
no mordant from leaves
Black
Mustard
- Green
pale green with Alum Mordant from flowers
- Yellow
Pale gold with Chrome Mordant from flowers
Blueberry
- Blue -
Bluish-purple Dye from the berries
Borage,
Borrago
- Blue - dye is obtained from the flowers.
This turns pink on contact with acids.
- Blue -
The flowers produce a nice pure blue for paints.
Box
- Auburn
- The leaves and sawdust, boiled in lye, have been used to dye hair an auburn
colour.
Cabbage
- Blue - dye can be obtained from the leaves
of purple cultivars
- Green
light shades with Alum Mordant from leaves
Cherries
- A
green dye can be obtained from the leaves.
- A dark
grey to green dye can be obtained from the fruit.
- The
bark usually only contains small amounts of tannin, but this sometimes rises
to 16%.
Red
Clover
- Yellow - golden tan with alum, tin
or chrome mordants.
Comfrey
- Yellow
yellow with no mordant from tops of plants
- Yellow
with Alum Mordant from tops of plants
- Orange
with no mordant from fresh leaves and flowers
- Brown
with Iron Mordant from leaves and stalks
- Red
with no mordant from roots
Silver
fir
- Brown
light coffee with Alum Mordant from cones
Maritime
pine:
- Green
- tan or green from the needles.
- Brown
walnut shade from the pine seeds
Corn
- Yellow various from whole no
other info
Cottonwood
tree
·
Various
dyes can be obtained from the leaf buds in the spring - green, white, yellow,
purple and red have been mentioned.
Cucumber
- Yellow
tan shade from vines and leaves
Feverfew
· Yellow greenish with Chrome Mordant from fresh leaves and stems
· Green as above.
Fellis
Tree
- Green
Deep (no other info)
Fingeroots
(carrots)
- An
orange dye is obtained from the root.
- Yellow
pale lemon with no mordant from parings
- Yellow
bright yellow with Alum Mordant from parings
- Red
from the flowers
Grapes
- A
yellow dye is obtained from the fresh or dried leaves.
- Blue
lavender with Alum Mordant from fruit
- Blue
reddish-purple with Chrome Mordant from fruit
Grasses
- Yellow
gold with Chrome Mordant for sedge like grasses.
- Green
dark green-green with copperas Mordant for sedge grasses
- Tan
greenish to brass with Alum Mordant for sedge grasses
Hazelnut tree
Hops
- Brown
Hazel from the leaves and flower heads.
- Red
pinkish with Alum Mordant from fresh stems
Lavender
- Red
dark dusty rose with Alum Mordant
Litmus
The
different lichens give different colours:
- Blue
no mordant
- Red -
Wine-coloured (Cudbear) with Alum Mordant
- Orange
or tan no mordant
- Violet
cudbear with soda
- Purple
cudbear with Tin Mordant
- Brown
rich chestnut with no mordant
- Brown
yellow-brown with no mordant
- Brown
copper with Chrome Mordant
Mangoes
- A
secret recipe for artist's paint used the urine of cows fed on mango
leaves
Marjoram
- Green
with an Alum Mordant from the tops
- Red
red to purple with Alum Mordant from the whole
- Red
purple from the tops
- Green
with a Chrome Mordant from the whole
- Red
Fine Crimson from the flower, mixed with apple leaves, pounded, fermented with
malt and yeast and dried when done.
Meadowsweet
·
Black - from roots with Iron
Mordant.
·
Yellow greenish yellow
with Alum Mordant from whole plant
·
Blue no info from the
flowers
Spearmint/Gardenmint:
- Green
yellow to khaki with no mordant from leaves and stalks
Mushroom
- Mushrooms
produce a wide variety of shade and colour. Most mushrooms yield yellows or
dull browns, but some varieties yield blues, greens, reds, oranges, purples,
and most other colours.
Nettle
- Green
- A beautiful and permanent green dye is obtained from a decoction of the
leaves and stems.
- Yellow
bright with Chrome Mordant from leaves and stalks
- Yellow
with no mordant from stalks and leaves
- Yellow
acid yellow with Alum Mordant from stalks and leaves
Oak
- Oak
galls are excrescences that are sometimes produced in great numbers on the
tree and are caused by the activity of the larvae of different insects. The
insects live inside these galls, obtaining their nutrient therein. When the
insect pupates and leaves, the gall can be used as a rich source of tannin,
that can also be used as a dyestuff.
- A
black dye and an excellent long-lasting ink is made from the oak galls, mixed
with salts of iron The colour is not very durable.
- When
mixed with alum, the dye is brown and with salts of tin it is
yellow.
- Tan
Acorns with Alum Mordant
- Brown
strong brown with Alum Mordant from bark
Onion
- A
yellow-brown dye is obtained from the skins of the bulbs.
- Yellow
Gold with Chrome Mordant with red onion skins
- Yellow
various with yellow onion skins or bulbs with Alum Mordant
- Green
light to dark with Iron or Copperas Mordant from skins or
bulb
- Brown
Rich, with Copperas Mordant
- Brown
brass with Chrome Mordant
- Tan/Brown
from red onion skins with Tin Mordant
- Orange
burnt with an Alum Mordant from skins
Parsnips
- Yellow gold to tan from tops
(no other info)
Pawberry
- Leaves
boil to make the finest red for paints
Peach
·
A green
dye can be obtained from the leaves.
·
Yellow
with Alum Mordant
·
Yellow
with Tin Mordant brighter than Alum
·
A dark
grey to green dye can be obtained from the fruit.
·
A Red
dye from the wood
·
A dark
chocolate brown from wood mordanted with alum
Pears
- Yellow
- tan dye is obtained from the leaves.
- Yellow
dull yellow with Alum Mordant from fresh leaves
- Brown
walnut from fruit pulp
Plaintain
- Black
with iron mordant from the flower juice
Plum
- Green
- dye can be obtained from the
leaves.
·
Green - A dark grey to
green dye can be obtained from the fruit.
·
Yellow - dye is obtained
from the bark.
·
Yellow from the rind of
the black plum fruit
Raspberry
- A red
to purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit.
Redroots
- Tan
various with Alum Mordant
- Oranges
apricot with no mordant from whole
- Oranges
bright with alum mordant from whole
Redwort
- Red -
Redwort leaves a red stain on hands (and has a nasty stench). This indicates that it might be
suitable for a red dye.
Reeds
- Green
light with Alum Mordant from flower heads or whole
Rowan
- A
black dye is obtained from the young branches. All parts of the plant contain
tannin and can be used as a black dye. Trees are very wind resistant and can
be used in shelterbelt plantings.
Rosemary
- Red
dark dusty rose colour with Alum Mordant
- Green
Produces various shades of yellow-green to green
Rue
- A red
dye is obtained from the plant.
- Yellow
no mordant from the stalks (it is fast)
Sabsab Bush
- A
yellow pigment for paints can be obtained from the root
Sage
- Red
Rose with Alum Mordant - possible if the scarlet sage variety is
available
- Yellow
buff with alum mordant from the tops
- Yellow - bright with chrome
mordant
- Green
grey with iron mordant.
Scrub
pine
- A tan
or green dye is obtained from the needles.
- Orange
tangerine with Alum Mordant from cones
- Yellow
orangey-yellow with Alum Mordant from fallen cones
Seabeachplum
- A
green dye can be obtained from the leaves.
- A dark
grey to green dye can be obtained from the fruit.
Seaweeds
- Yellow/Green
dark with Copperas Mordant
- Tan
light with Alum Mordant
- Grey
with Alum Mordant
- Lye
when burnt gives soda ashes
Tansy
- Green - from the young
shoots.
- Yellow
lemon with Alum Mordant from flowering heads
- Orange
with Chrome Mordant and cream of tartar from the young leaves and flowering
tops.
Tomato
- Tan
various from the vine with Alum Mordant
- Tan
green tones from the vine with Copperas
- Brown
red-brown from the vine with Tin Mordant
- Green
mint green with Alum Mordant from leaves or vines
- Yellow
soft apricot with Alum Mordant from fresh vines
Tubers
·
Yellow
lemon from the stalks and leaves
Tussilago
(Colts Foot)
Walnut
- Brown
no mordant from the nuts, husks and bark.
- Brown
copper with Alum Mordant from husks and bark
- A
brown dye is obtained from the leaves and stems. It does not require a
mordant. The dye turns black if it is prepared in an iron pot. The leaves can
be dried for later use.
- The
outside shell gives off a black dye when beaten, and this is used to paint
house doors
- Black
with Iron Mordant from husks
Black
Walnut:
- A
golden brown dye can be obtained from the seed husks.
- A
light brown dye is obtained from the young twigs.
- Black
with copperas mordant (from the husks)
- Brown
tan with no mordant from husks
- Brown
mid-brown with Iron Mordant from husks
Wedgenuts
(Brazil nuts)
- Red
dye from wood without a mordant
- Brown
dye from wood with mordants
White
thorn (Hawthorn?)
- Red
no other information
Willow
- Yellow
no other information
Woodruff
- Soft-tan
and grey-green dyes are obtained from the stems and leaves with an Alum
Mordant
- Brown
light brown (no other info) from leaves
- Red
light with Alum Mordant from the roots
Yarrow
- Yellow
Bright to white with Alum Mordant from flowers
- Yellow
Brilliant with Tin Mordant from flowers
- Yellow
tan with Copperas from flowers
- Green
olive with Iron Mordant from whole
- Grey
grey to black from whole plant
Yellow
fruit (Lemon)
- Green
light yellowy with Chrome Mordant from the peel
Yellow-veined
grass
Non-Vegetable
Boles:
- Red -
Similar to ochre a sesquioxide of iron, found naturally and used for
painting and dyeing.
Brownstone:
- Black/Brown
Manganese Peroxide, the powder is used in painting and
dyeing
Cinnabar:
- Red
Mercury Sulphide often found with iron or copper pyrites.
Coal used with honey or
milk to produce colour as cannot be used alone.
Ochres: Clays
with iron oxide giving shades from Light yellow-to-yellow; red to brown;
dependent on the amount of iron oxide.
Used for dyeing and painting.
Orpiment
- Yellow
from arsenic trisulphide
Prussian
Blue:
- Blue
ferric Iron Cyanide (the cloth is steeped in this, then potassic iron cyanide
and then ferric chloride.
Realgar:
- Red
Red arsenic sulphide for paint and dyeing
Soot: gives a
dye if mixed with gumming materials
Ultramarine:
- Blue
light blue dye obtained from heating powdered shells, treating with vinegar
and water and then re-powdering.
Copper
Salts:
Cobalt
- Blue
used for painting (Red Star Rising)
Shellfish
- Orange
bright, found off Istas shores.