Madder
Rubia tinctorum
Rubiaceae
Growth habit
Herbaceous
Perennation
Perennial
Native distribution
Southern Europe and Asia Minor
Biocultural value
The dried, powdered roots are the source of Turkey red dye, popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries for dying cotton textiles such as ginghams, paisley shawls, table cloths as well as Persian carpets.
Location
Source of plant
Jardin Botanique de Montreal, Sandy Mush Herb Nursery
Description
To 4', erect or decumbent; leaves in whorls of 4 to 6, lanceolate, to 4" long, prickly on midribs and edges;flowers greenish-yellow in branching cymes, fruit red, turning black.
USDA Hardiness Zone
5
Special characteristics
other ethnobotanical uses