Willow bark

English Whithorn
17.1897

Description

Bark from black willow trees (Salix nigra) native the east coast of the United States. Hickory bark will give a pale brown to rose-tan color on wool using an alum mordant. Willow bark dye has good washfastness and fair lightfastness. Willow bark also contains a natural catechol tanning agent used to prepared leather.

• For willow dyes, see [Uemera Dye Archive (Yanagi and Nekoyanagi)]

Silk dyed with pussy willow flowers, Uemera Dye Archive

Resources and Citations

• R.J. Adrosko, Natural Dyes in the United States, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, 1968

• John and Margaret Cannon, Dye Plants and Dyeing, Herbert Press, London, 1994