Brassicacées • Isatis tinctoria

Dyer's woad - Organic

"A discreet biennial with blue leaves, reminiscent of old dyers."

$4.49

Number of seeds 60 seeds

Dyer's woad , or Isatis tinctoria , has been used for centuries in the age-old art of plant dyeing. Long before the arrival of tropical indigo in Europe, its leaves provided the deep blue hue for fabrics, particularly in temperate regions. In a thriving garden, it first appears as a rosette of bluish-green leaves close to the ground, then, in its second year, it grows into a tall, branching stem adorned with small yellow flowers.

Planted in suitable soil, it forms a robust yet discreet presence. Its delicate flowering blends seamlessly into a kitchen garden or a quiet corner reserved for useful plants. Its cyclical nature perfectly illustrates the gardener's rooted approach: observing its rosette in the first year, nurturing its flowering in the second, and allowing a few seeds to ripen, thus continuing the connection with nature throughout the seasons.

Growing climate: Cool season
Sowing difficulty level: Medium
Care required: Occasional
Growth: Slow growth

Annotation:

Dyer's woad is primarily known for its traditional use as a dye plant. In various regions of Europe, its leaves were harvested, prepared, and then fermented to extract a blue dye used for textile dyeing. This practice left a lasting mark on the history of blue fabrics before the widespread use of other sources of indigo.
It is not primarily cultivated for culinary use, but remains a symbol of plant dyeing and artisanal know-how related to plants.