Growing Dyer’s Coreopsis

A lovely North American native prairie plant, a bee magnet, and a strong orange in the dye pot – what’s not to love?!

Dyer’s Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) – Click for seeds!
dyers-coreopsis_LRG

 

A cheerful North American native, this annual plant is easy to grow and will produce hundreds of beautiful little flowers in tufts 2 to 3 feet tall. Also known as Plain’s Coreopsis, each blossom packs a big dye potential and gives gorgeous oranges.

How to grow:

Site Selection: Annual, will grow is dry conditions but flowers more when well watered. Protect from rabbits! Plant in well drained soil. Full sun is preferred.

Start seeds: Direct seed after last frost.

Harvest: Anytime after flowers open. Picking more flowers will lead to more blossoms!

Processing: Gently simmer blossoms or plant tops for a deep orange color. Add soda ash to increase the pH for a deeper color.

Click here to purchase organically grown Coreopsis seeds.

IMG_8599

 

Resources:

Growing Coreopsis – Wild Colours

Others dye plants:

Japanese Indigo

Madder

Woad

Hopi Red Dye Amaranth

Grow Dyer's Coreopsis
Grow a beautiful orange dye in your own flower garden.

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: