Natural dyeing is a beautiful way to add eco-friendly color to fabric, yarn, and even paper. Many dye plants thrive in home gardens, giving you a vibrant palette from your backyard.
Here are 10 plants you can grow yourself, with their colors, pros & cons, and USDA grow zones so you can plan your dye garden smartly.
1. Marigold (Tagetes spp.)
- Color: Bright yellows to golden oranges
- Grow Zone: 2–11 (annual, grows almost anywhere)
- Sow: Direct seed outdoors after last frost, or start indoors 6 weeks early.
- Harvest: Summer–fall, pick flower heads as they bloom.
- Store: Dry flowers flat in a warm, airy place until crisp; store in paper bags or glass jars away from light.
Dyeing with tagetes, or marigold, is a simple and rewarding way to achieve warm yellows and golden tones on natural fibers. To begin, calculate the weight of your fiber (WOF) when dry. For marigolds you’ll need around 100–200% of that weight in flowers, either fresh or dried. For example, if your yarn weighs 100 grams, gather 100–200 grams of flowers.
Before dyeing, wash your fiber to remove oils and dirt, then mordant it to help the color bind. Protein fibers such as wool and silk usually take well with alum at about 15% WOF, while cellulose fibers like cotton or linen benefit from a tannin bath followed by alum.
To make the dye bath, simmer the flowers gently in water for 30 to 45 minutes. You can strain them out if you prefer a clearer bath, or leave them in for a speckled effect. Add enough water so the fiber will move freely. Once your mordanted fiber is wet through, place it in the dye bath and simmer for another 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Avoid boiling wool or silk, as too much heat can damage them. For deeper shades, allow the fiber to cool in the bath before removing it.
After dyeing, rinse the fibers until the water runs clear, then hang them to dry out of direct sunlight. The result is a range of rich yellows and golden hues, sometimes leaning toward green. If you’d like to experiment further, try adding an iron afterbath to shift the color toward olive and khaki tones.
2. Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria / Persicaria tinctoria)
- Color: Deep blues
- Grow Zone: 7–10 (annual in cooler zones)
- Sow: Indoors in spring; transplant after frost.
- Harvest: Mid-summer, cut leaves before flowering.
- Store: Best used fresh for fermentation vats; leaves can be frozen or dried but color yield is reduced.
3. Madder Root (Rubia tinctorum)
- Color: Reds, pinks, oranges
- Grow Zone: 5–9
- Sow: Plant root cuttings or seeds in spring.
- Harvest: After 2–3 years, dig roots in fall for richest color.
- Store: Wash, chop, and dry roots; keep in paper bags or sealed jars in a cool, dark place.
4. Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
- Color: Reds, pinks, purples
- Grow Zone: 9–11 (annual elsewhere)
- Sow: Start indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost.
- Harvest: Late summer–fall, collect calyces after flowers drop.
- Store: Dry calyces completely; keep in airtight jars away from light and moisture.
5. Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)
- Color: Yellows, oranges, rust tones
- Grow Zone: 3–9 (annual)
- Sow: Direct seed in spring after frost.
- Harvest: Summer through fall, cut flowers regularly to encourage more blooms.
- Store: Air-dry flower heads; store in paper bags or glass jars.
6. Onion Skins (Allium cepa)
- Color: Golden yellow to coppery orange
- Grow Zone: 3–9
- Sow: Plant onion sets in early spring (or fall for overwintering types).
- Harvest: Late summer when tops dry out; collect skins during cooking too.
- Store: Keep dried skins in paper bags; avoid plastic (traps moisture).
7. Chamomile (Matricaria recutita / Chamaemelum nobile)
- Color: Soft yellows
- Grow Zone: 3–9
- Sow: Direct seed in spring, or start indoors earlier.
- Harvest: Summer, pick flowers when fully open.
- Store: Dry on mesh screens in shade; store in airtight jars in a cool, dark place.
8. Weld (Reseda luteola)
- Color: Brilliant, long-lasting yellows
- Grow Zone: 4–8
- Sow: Direct seed in spring or fall.
- Harvest: Summer of second year, cut stems, leaves, and flowering tops just before seeds ripen.
- Store: Hang bundles upside down to dry, then chop and keep in paper bags or jars.
9. Sumac (Rhus spp.)
- Color: Browns, tans, earthy tones; reds from berries
- Grow Zone: 3–9
- Sow: Plant shrubs in spring.
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Harvest:
- Leaves: Summer, before they turn color.
- Berries: Late summer–fall, when red clusters are fully formed.
- Store: Dry leaves flat; berries can be air-dried in clusters and stored in paper bags.
10. Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)
- Color: Purples, pinks, blues
- Grow Zone: 3–9
- Sow: Direct seed in spring or fall.
- Harvest: Summer–fall, collect flowers when fully open.
- Store: Dry petals on mesh screens; keep in jars away from light and humidity.
🌱 Bonus: Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.)
- Color: Oranges, reds, pinks, browns, sometimes greens
- Grow Zone: 8–11 (but thrives in pots anywhere if overwintered indoors)
- Sow: Start seeds indoors in spring or buy young plants.
- Harvest: Anytime, leaves are evergreen; best when freshly fallen or young.
- Store: Use fresh leaves for strongest colors; dried leaves can be stored in paper bags but may yield less intense shades.
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