UNTIL I MET James Younger, early in 2025, it hadn’t actually registered in my mind that a few of the acquainted annuals I develop from seed, like cosmos and marigolds and even purple basil or black hollyhock (above), may additionally double as dye vegetation.
James is co-owner of Grand Prismatic Seed, a beautiful and information-packed on-line seed catalog primarily based in Northern Utah, the place vegetation that provide pure dyes are one specialty alongside regional natives and Excessive Desert-adapted edibles and flowers.
James is passionate in regards to the fiber arts, and he’s been an skilled knitter since highschool and can also be deep into the artwork and science of pure dyes, whether or not sourced from backyard vegetation or foraged ones.
In 2016, James co-founded Grand Prismatic with Man Banner, a horticulturist at Crimson Butte Backyard and Arboretum on the College of Utah, who works half time at their seed firm.
Learn alongside as you take heed to the Jan. 12, 2026 version of my public-radio present and podcast utilizing the participant under. You possibly can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).
natural-dye vegetation, with james younger
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Margaret Roach: How are you, James?
James Younger: Hey, Margaret. I’m doing nicely. It’s abnormally heat right here in Utah, in order that’s somewhat jarring. We’re about 20 levels hotter than common for this time of yr.
Margaret: And I ought to say we’re recording in December, a short while earlier than that is going to air. So who is aware of what is going to occur by then as a result of the factor in regards to the climate lately is it’s completely unpredictable. [Laughter.] We’ve been super-cold. Yeah,
James: It’s somewhat … Certainly one of my favourite issues about farming in Utah is with the ability to cease weeding and worrying about issues open air as soon as it’s normally mid-October, however this yr it’s simply been so heat that we now have a number of weeds germinating and rising.
Margaret: Oh, nicely. Preserve at it. [Laughter.] So after we did a “New York Instances” backyard column in 2025, I used to be struck by simply what number of acquainted vegetation, as I stated within the introduction, that I consider as reducing flowers or herbs or no matter, becoming into another utilization class are additionally dye vegetation. And I need to get to a few of that range in a minute and discuss a number of your favorites. And you’ve got an unimaginable assortment within the Grand Prismatic catalog. However first, somewhat background on you, as a result of if I bear in mind accurately from the final time we spoke, your private type of origin story about plant-based dyeing concerned knitting and a tub. Is that proper? Had been these the 2 key components? [Laughter.]
James: Yeah, these are two keys. So after I was in highschool, my sister and my Grandma sort of teamed as much as educate me how one can knit. And so knitting was my gateway into the fiber arts world. And my sister’s buddy’s mother labored at somewhat knitting store in Ogden, Utah, fairly near the place we lived. And she or he did a number of dyeing, and most of that was in her bathtub with a number of roving that then she would spin into yarn. And so she would discuss her dyeing course of and she or he would primarily use issues like Kool-Help to do these actually gaudy, brilliant colours.
Margaret: Forgive me for laughing.
James: Yeah. I can’t even think about what her tub appeared like. I’m positive it had all kinds of rings of colours in it that she couldn’t wash out. However she had talked about that again in medieval Europe, they’d use urine to dye indigo, or use in indigo dyeing, what’s known as a sig vat. And that sort of sparked this curiosity in me of the entire forms of dyes that had been used earlier than artificial dyes.
And yeah, all through human historical past up till the mid-1800s, all dyes have been pure dyes. And as an avid hiker after I was youthful and lover of vegetation, simply studying that I may use these lovely vegetation round me to paint wool after which make lovely issues was only a actually thrilling factor. So yeah, that’s sort of what led me into pure dyes. After which when my accomplice, Man, and I lived in Oregon, I actually struggled with the moist climate there within the winter. And in order that’s after I actually made dyeing a sustained craft for myself as a result of it was simply so cozy to prepare dinner up a pot of dye vegetation, of flowers, lichens, different issues that I may forage or develop, after which simply sort of be somewhat witch, stirring my pot, be heat, cozy.
Margaret: Over the cauldron, huh? Within the winter? [Laughter.]
James: Yeah. After which simply be capable of make brilliant, lovely issues in a time that felt fairly chilly and dreary.
Margaret: And the variety, as I stated a minute in the past, the variety of issues that lots of them have been acquainted to me, however I didn’t know they have been dye vegetation. I knew that sure vegetation I’d heard of, sure perennials like madder or no matter have been dye vegetation, however I didn’t know that so many issues round me have been. And naturally I type of will need to have identified in my mind someplace, however I didn’t take a look at them and suppose that as nicely.
So if we have been type of going to start an journey and we didn’t have Kool-Help and a tub, if we have been as gardeners going to start an journey, I imply, is it a few of the annuals that we’d take into consideration beginning with if we wished to strive first outing? And is that the place one begins to type of …
James: Yeah, I believe that annuals are an effective way to start out, particularly should you don’t have a number of house, as a result of a number of them could be grown on a patio in pots. And I believe marigolds are a very nice gateway plant for dyeing. Earlier than I obtained into dyes, I used to be sort of bored by marigolds. They’re simply so ubiquitous and so they weren’t one thing that basically caught my consideration. After which after entering into dyeing, simply seeing the vary of lovely colours you can also make with them and the way easy they’re to develop was simply actually thrilling. And there’s so many types of marigolds that you would be able to even use the leaves for dyeing for ecoprinting.
Margaret: So simply inform us actual fast what ecoprinting is, as a result of that’s one of many actually enjoyable tasks that I even suppose I may do. Are you aware what I imply? It seems to be so inventive, the completed product, but it surely doesn’t require me to sketch one thing alone, that means that sort of inventive.
James: Yeah. Yeah, undoubtedly. So there are a number of methods to do ecoprinting. There’s a Japanese technique referred to as Tatakizome, the place you really hammer flowers into cloth [above]. In order that one’s sort of enjoyable, particularly to do with youthful individuals. I really feel prefer it’s a enjoyable interactive strategy to dye. And so that you just simply have to have your cloth cleaned after which it is advisable apply a mordant to it.
Margaret: Proper. There’s that phrase: mordant.
James: Yeah. So mordants are actually essential for pure dyeing. It’s principally a mineral salt that types a bridge between your materials that you just’re dyeing, your pure fiber, and your dye compound.
And so I really feel like it will possibly sound intimidating, but it surely’s fairly easy. You principally simply measure out the correct amount of mordant after which put your fibers in it. For cotton, you simply want sizzling water and the mordant and the fiber. For protein fibers, you’ll have to warmth it up on a range high and hold it at a sustained warmth for longer. However then after you have that mordant on the pure fiber for ecoprinting, you’ll be able to both do the flower-pounding, that Tatakizome technique, or you’ll be able to organize the flowers that you’ve got nevertheless you’d like on the material, and then you definitely principally roll it up actually tightly [below]. And so I like to make use of a copper pipe, as a result of I can actually push down on the material after I roll. And so getting that stress actually tight will get actually crisp prints. After which so that you’ll roll it up after which tie the material to that copper pipe, after which I’ll simply put it over a pot of steaming water for a half an hour or so, after which it simply does this very nice crisp print.
However then there’s additionally, you’ll be able to simply crumble up a bunch of dried flowers as a substitute of doing a crisp print, and even simply squish all of it collectively. It doesn’t must be-
Margaret: Proper. It may be sort of extra blotches and summary and so forth.
James: I can do like actually lovely watercolor results. And so I really feel just like the eco-printing stuff is de facto a-
Margaret: Nice entry level, isn’t it?
James: Yeah. And never solely as a result of it’s fairly easy, however you don’t want that a lot dye materials to have the ability to do it. As a result of should you’re eager to do an immersion dye of yardage of cotton fabric-
Margaret: You will have a giant vat and no matter, and we’re again to your witches’ brew or your bathtub.
James: Sure. Yeah, undoubtedly. You’ll want a giant pot, a number of materials.
Margaret: And the factor, after which we’re simply skimming the floor on this dialog, as a result of clearly time is brief and so forth, however there’s nice directions, your web site may be very wealthy in data. And in addition I’ll give the hyperlink to a few of the fundamental how-to that’s in your web site. And then you definitely additionally refer individuals to some locations, books and issues, locations you’ve discovered through the years that you just respect and suppose are unimaginable sources of the how-to data.
In meantime, we may discuss some vegetation [laughter]. And there are after all additionally perennials. So if we expect we need to perhaps spend money on the way forward for dyeing, we simply talked about perhaps some annuals for pots and so forth which might be fast, however we are able to additionally get some perennials within the floor that aren’t going to repay for some time, and people are in your web site.
What are a few these, as an illustration?
James: I believe the one which I at all times encourage individuals to get within the floor, in the event that they’re considering that dyeing goes to be one thing they’ll need to be doing, is madder. So Rubia tinctorum; it is likely one of the greatest sources for a purple pigment, which is troublesome to get in pure dyes. And it’s very nice to get in as quickly as doable as a result of ideally you’d wait three rising seasons till you harvest the roots to dye with [above]. And so the earlier you get it in, the nearer you might be to that harvest. And I’ve had nice luck with vegetation which might be simply two years previous.
When you begin rising it, should you don’t reduce it again when it goes to seed, it should aggressively unfold via your backyard. So I additionally encourage individuals to, earlier than the berries are ripe, simply reduce it again to the bottom or reduce these berries off in order that it doesn’t unfold round the place you don’t need it.
However as a result of it does unfold, I usually find yourself having one- or two-year-old vegetation in locations that I don’t actually need them. And after I’ve used these, I’ve gotten beautiful coral colours generally.
Margaret: Fascinating. Fascinating.
James: However yeah, three years you’re going to have the great giant roots that will likely be stuffed with the pigment as Alizarin—that’s the great purple pigment.
Margaret: And so with that, with the type of faster, the annual sorts, or the perennials, a few of the perennials that can repay earlier, what are some … I imply, I used to be fascinated after we spoke earlier than. Some issues, once more, which might be in individuals’s gardens, like black-eyed Susans, Rudbeckia hirta, black hollyhock, the Alcea rosea [photo, top of page]. I imply, these are issues which might be additionally dye vegetation and but they could be in our gardens already, sure?
James: Yeah, undoubtedly. And people will produce flowers the primary yr after which be perennial, which is nice. And dyer’s chamomile [above] is one other perennial that I believe is de facto beautiful so as to add to a dyer’s backyard. It’s Cota tinctoria. It has a number of totally different flavonoid dyes in it, a key one being Luteolin, which-
Margaret: It sounds yellow, lutea.
James: It simply has probably the most fantastic heat yellow dye. It’s actually light-fast, wash-fast, and it actually layers superbly with different pure dyes. So with indigo to get good greens or madder for a brilliant long-lasting orange, and so they normally will produce some flowers of their first yr, however the second yr they actually explode. And it’s one which has actually stunned me with how cold-hardy it’s. And I do know this yr’s loads hotter than different years in my space, however some that I’ve rising at my sister’s home have been blooming up till this level, so via a number of frosts. So yeah, only a super-tough plant. And it additionally brings in a number of helpful bugs to the backyard, which is sweet.
Margaret: Proper. The dyer’s chamomile. The place does the colour blue come from, as an illustration? Or if I would like inexperienced, the place does that come from? We talked about some issues which might be purple. We talked about madder, and a few issues which might be type of most likely yellow, however the place do these different colours come from?
James: For blue, there are lots of of species of vegetation that include the precursor for the indigo pigment Indigotin, however there’s most likely about 5 fundamental ones that people have discovered to be, I assume, more cost effective to develop for the house and the quantity of dye in it. And so Indigofera tinctoria is true indigo, and that’s native to India and Southeast Asia. Indigofera suffruticosa, often known as anil, is native to Central and South America. And so a number of Mayan and Aztec dyes have been dyed with that. In Europe, Isatis tinctoria or woad was most likely the commonest. And that’s one thing that lots of people contact us for seed for, but it surely’s fairly invasive within the Western U.S., so it’s not authorized for us to move seeds. However in some components of the nation, you’ll be able to develop it. And it has much less indigo per leaf than different varieties, however nonetheless makes lovely blues.
After which Persicaria tinctoria is Japanese indigo [above. being harvested], and that’s what we now have discovered to be probably the most adaptable of the indigo-bearing species to develop within the U.S. From Alaska to Texas, you’ll be able to develop Persicaria tinctoria. And in order that’s most likely one in every of our favourite vegetation to develop, and simply grown as an annual, and it has a very excessive content material of indigo. And in order that’s an incredible one to make use of for blue, after all, but additionally pairing with yellow dyes for inexperienced, as a result of inexperienced is definitely… It’s unusual to suppose that inexperienced’s laborious to get with pure dyes because you look exterior and all the things is inexperienced, but-
Margaret: That’s why I requested, as a result of I puzzled, is it the best factor to get or the toughest? As a result of it was going to be one or the opposite [laughter].
James: It’s the more durable ones to get for positive. And so normally pairing indigo with a yellow dye is an effective way to get inexperienced. One thing just like the black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta, that may get you olivey-green coloration. It’s barely much less light-fast, I might say. And should you spill one thing that’s acidic on it, it should sort of change the colour. Generally I’ll get bizarre maroon splotches with pH adjustments, but it surely’s undoubtedly a enjoyable one to make use of for greens, simply not as secure.
Margaret: So apart from promoting seed for issues that we’ve been speaking about and lots of, many different potentialities, you additionally promote harvested materials to make use of for dyeing. Is that true? Did I make that up?
James: Yeah. Normally I believe in 2025 it wasn’t until July that we posted our dried dye supplies. And annually it’s a unique mixture of issues. Normally we’ll hoard a bunch of dye supplies for our personal tasks, after which when we now have overflow, we’ll listing it to prospects.
Margaret: So some individuals get into it that approach; they struggle it that approach as nicely.
James: Yeah. And I believe that it’s good to get some materials that another person has grown should you don’t have a number of house to develop issues otherwise you’re questioning if dyeing is one thing that you just’ll really be having fun with, however there’s additionally a number of stuff you’ll be able to harvest. Numerous invasives simply in your neighborhood can be utilized for dyeing. And so I like rising issues and with the ability to have a tendency issues, however should you don’t have house or time to try this, you’ll be able to undoubtedly discover a listing of invasives in your space that can be utilized for dyeing.
Margaret: So let’s discuss some foraged issues that you just … I believe you talked about lichen at one level, for instance, some foraged issues that folks may acknowledge the names of or no matter that you just’ve additionally used.
James: After we lived in Oregon, we wish to exit into the forest after large windstorms and discover lungwort lichen that had fallen from branches, and that will do a very lovely cinnamon coloration on wool. Oak galls are actually good. They’re excessive in tannins. And so with that, and with the lichen, you don’t want to make use of a mordant should you don’t need to due to that prime tannin content material.
Right here in Utah, we now have a number of phragmites that grows alongside waterways, that chokes out native wetlands, and that can be utilized for a greenish-colored dye. Once more, not as light-fast as indigo, however nonetheless beautiful. Within the Western states, like I discussed, woad being invasive, there may be a lot dyer’s wooden up within the mountains right here. And so individuals in our area can simply go harvest free blue within the wild. And never solely are you getting a pleasant pigment or dye, however you might be additionally eliminating that invasive that sort of chokes out the native habitat.
Margaret: And also you dye, not simply materials, you dye your wool as nicely, proper? You dye wool on your knitting.
James: Wool might be the principle factor I’ve dyed through the years. I just lately converted to cotton as a result of my sister has been educating me how one can quilt. And so it’s been a enjoyable transition to maneuver over to cotton, however yeah.
Margaret: Properly, James Younger—all of the fiber arts; you’re making an attempt all the things, proper?
James: I like to dabble. I undoubtedly say I’m not a grasp in any of them.
Margaret: Properly, it seems to be fairly good to me. The stuff that I’ve seen of yours seems to be fairly good to me. I’m so glad to speak to you once more. And as I stated, we simply dabbled somewhat bit in a few of the how-to, however I’ll give hyperlinks to the knowledge in your website for a deeper dive, and in addition a few of the references that you just suggest. I’ll do give these hyperlinks. And in addition, after all, to your catalog, which is fairly spectacular.
And as I stated within the introduction, isn’t simply dye vegetation, a number of regional natives and Excessive Desert-adapted flowers and edibles and so forth. So particularly for Western listeners, actually some lovely issues. And as I stated, I’m simply pleased to talk to you once more. So thanks for making time at this time.
James: Yeah, thanks a lot.
(All photographs from Grand Prismatic Seed, used with permission.)
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MY WEEKLY public-radio present, rated a “top-5 backyard podcast” by “The Guardian” newspaper within the UK, started its sixteenth yr in March 2025. It’s produced at Robin Hood Radio, the smallest NPR station within the nation. Pay attention domestically within the Hudson Valley (NY)-Berkshires (MA)-Litchfield Hills (CT) Mondays at 8:30 AM Japanese, rerun at 8:30 Saturdays. Or play the Jan. 12, 2026 present utilizing the participant close to the highest of this transcript. You possibly can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes/Apple Podcasts or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).
