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Blue Dyers Woad Isatis Tinctoria Indigotica Seeds
Big packet of 50+ seeds!
Commonly called Woad, but also known as Da quing ye, Tein-ching, Wad, French Guede, Guede, Guado, Glastum, Pastel, Weat, Indigowoad root, Ban lan gen, Radix isatidis, Isatis indigotica, and finally, most commonly of all, blue dyers woad.
It is an important plant historically in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called Tein ching and used for blood disorders and cancer. The dried roots are harvested, ground, and made into a strong tea which is very popular throughout China and other parts of Asia. That said, the risk of allergic reactions is very real, as is dizzy spells, and at very very high doses, even kidney damage.
Research is currently still ongoing into its usefulness as a cancer treatment, due to it’s very high levels of glucobrassicin, particularly in damaged young growth.
When stressed by grazing or harvest it can produce >65% more glucobrassicin than is normally present in healthy plants, and this is thought to be one of the key active ingredients.
Time will tell.
For the moment I do not recommend consumption in any way, at all, but it does make a cool dye!
So much in fact that UK production has increased to meet the demands of modern inkjet printers, and as a base ingredient for blue, black, and purple dyes.
Its sustainability, biodegradability, and general all round environmental safety has led to use as a wood protectant in Germany, much like our CCA (Copper Chrome Arsenate) “treated pine” over here…
There you have it, another handy dye plant.
Wild harvested sustainably, no chems, no nasties, no problems!!!
