Woad seeds grown from those sent to me from my dear friend in Germany. These are available in my shop while supplies last.
Dyeing with woad is an ancient craft. For thousands of years, Northern Europeans have been growing woad to obtain a blue that has become the stuff of legends.
Woad is not a commonly grown plant in the US. As an American dyer, working with this plant so steeped in history and lore has unexpectedly proved to be a genuinely moving experience.
Two years ago, a surprise package arrived from Germany. My very dear friend, Sofie, generously sent me a carefully wrapped small glass jar containing precious woad powder. Specifically: Erfurter Blau (Isatis Tinctoria) sold by Rosanna Minelli. Sofie also tucked in a handmade envelope of Waid Samen, translated as woad seed, from the Dürer Haus in Erfurt, Germany.
Woad is a biennial. In the first year, it grows a compact cluster of leaves which contain indican, similar to that produced by indigo. In the second year, woad produces tall stalks of yellow flowers that gradually give way to seeds. The plant puts all of its energy into the production of seeds, leaving the leaves devoid of any blue dye.
Starting in May, the stalks begin what becomes a showy display of bright yellow, sweet smelling flowers. Weeks later, the flowers give way to seeds. Here is my photographic journal of the plants’ progress from mid-May through late July - early August:
These photos were taken in mid May, and I was stunned by how quickly the stalks shot up out of the ground. You can already see the stalks beginning to flower. Daily watering was needed because of the drought that was under way.
A few weeks later in early June, the flowers are blooming more fully. Again, just daily watering from the hose, but I’ve read about comfrey tea increasing dye potency. So much to learn!
Here is the crop at the end of June. The flowers are fragrant and almost at their peak before going to seed.
The entire experience growing this ancient plant was captivating. Here, in July, you can see the bright green seeds - so many! I found it challenging to capture just how tall these pants grew. They were easily five feet tall!
The plants bowed under the weight of all of those seeds. My husband and I put sturdy stakes in the ground and strung horizontal rows of cotton string to both hold the stalks upright and attempt to keep free-falling seeds in the bed. Also, staking the plants allowed for increased sunlight and air circulation which prevented mold from forming on the seed clusters. Over the next few weeks the seeds’ color changed from bright green to mahogany, then to purple (below), and finally, a deep rich blue-black.
The dyer in me had to see if the seeds would yield any color, so after bundling some seeds in alum-mordanted silk and steaming for a few hours, I saw that a very little bit of blue was left on the cloth. Apologies for not have a photo to share, but honestly, I wouldn’t do it again because of the need (responsibility) to properly dispose of the seeds. I tossed the spent seeds into our family campfire.
Harvesting woad seeds. Here, contained on a white bed sheet, the stalks were easily transported to a shady spot where the seeds were removed and allowed to dry before storing in tins, which are available in the shop.
By late July - early August the seeds were falling to the ground, so in order to prevent a woad take-over next year, and as an effort to share these precious seeds with fellow dyers, I harvested the seeds. Tins of woad seed are available in my shop, and each tin comes with growing and dyeing instructions. Woad is a tricky plant to dye with, partly because its blue is much weaker than that of indigo. With the tin of seeds is the vat dip recipe I used; however, there are many ways to go about extracting color from the leaves. A little online research will quickly provide you with a variety of dye methods, fuller knowledge of this plant’s history and useful growing tips. A welcome rabbit hole.
In early October, I will plant new rows of seeds in a different bed for May growth. Planting this fall will hopefully give me an additional one or two dye vats during next summer’s dye season. I’m already planning what I will dye with this distinct, gentle, exquisite blue.
Of all of the ancient natural dyestuffs I use, woad holds a special place in my heart. Perhaps it’s because of how I received the seeds and the powder, or that I spent two years researching, growing and tending the plants in my own garden. I can say that while dipping fabrics beneath a gorgeous September sky amidst the familiar backdrop of changing leaves, I truly felt a connection to centuries of dyers in far away lands coloring their communities blue.
If growing and dyeing woad interests you, please read the complete listing for seeds here. Send me your questions. I’d love to hear from you!