Madder is an herbaceous perennial and popular dye plant. The roots are commonly used to produce red to orange dyes. Madder requires a mordant (alum) for use on protein fibers. The earliest evidence of madder use for dye comes from an archaeological site in what is now Pakistan, dating to the 3rd millenium BCE.

Madder is an easy plant to grow, though it thrives in rich, damp soil, and full sun. It is frost tolerant, but the must be moved indoors or mulched heavily in colder conditions. The plants are tall and sprawling- stake them or prune them back to keep them manageable. 

*Our plants are sold at 1 year. Please give the plant and extra year to grow before using the roots for dyeing. Some people are sensitive to the hairs on the stems and leaves, so consider wearing gloves when working with them.