Golden Rod

Golden Rod is good source of yellow dye. The plant originates from North America. It produces a softer shade of yellow than that obtained from weld, but it is just as fast.

Solidago has been grown in British gardens for a long time, from where it has spread and naturalised in some locations. Like weld, it prefers dry, poor soil and full sun.

Golden Rod is available in several strains, varying in height from one to four feet. The stems, leaves and flowers can all be used for dyeing, and the whole plant may be dried and stored for later use.

Cultivation

Solidago is a hardy perennial, which can be propagated by seed or division. Plant it about one foot apart in poor, well-drained soil in a sunny position. It is best to lift and divide the clumps every three years, replanting the younger shoots and discarding the old, woody parts.

Harvest and Preservation

Cut the plant when in full bloom. I usually cut about half the stem with the flowers, so that there are plenty of leaves left on the plant to feed the crown. All the arial parts of the plant contain dye. Use it fresh, or dry for storage by hanging it in a shady, airy place. Alternatively, you can extract and concentrate the dye, then store it in liquid, paste or powder form.

Dyeing

If using fresh or dried plant material, the strongest colours will be obtained by putting the mordanted wool and solidago together in the dye pot. As the wool takes up dye from solution, more dye is released from the plant. It is advisable to place the plant material in a mesh bag, to avoid bits of it becoming entangled in the wool. If you prefer to extract the dye first, add a small amount of alkali to the dyebath (I use ammonia) to help the dye to dissolve.

Simmer the wool in the dye for about 30 minutes, or until the desired shade is obtained. Golden Rod contains a good concentration of dye and a few plants will dye a surprising amount of wool. A lovely shade of primrose can be obtained with alum mordant, by using a small amount of plant material.