Genista tinctoria
Seed only available at present.
Dyer's greenweed is a low shrub, resembling a miniature broom bush, with dense spires of golden yellow, pea-like flowers clustered near the top of the stems. It is a spreading plant with oblong, lance-like, light green, pointed leaves. In the autumn it produces flat, blunt, hairless pods containing the seeds. It is usually found on lightly-grazed grasslands on chalk or limestone, or slightly acidic clays. Dyer's greenweed is a warmth-loving plant that requires sunlight. It is susceptible to frosts.
Several micromoths and some legume feeding beetles may be found on this species. All parts of this plant yield a good yellow dye, and from earliest times have been used to produce this colour, especially for wool. In combination with woad, which yields a blue dye, a good colour of green is obtained. This is the most likely origin of the common name for this plant. (from; www.plantpress.com)
colours; yellow and green
Mordant required; Alum
