Dahlia
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Description
A natural orange dye obtained from any dahlia flowers, stems, and leaves (Dahlia sp.). Single color dahlia flower petals produce a clearer, brighter tone, than when varying colors and leaves are mixed. On Wool with a chrome mordant, yellow dahlia flower petals give a strong orange color that has fair lightfastness. Other colors from yellow to yellow-green (copper mordant) can also be obtained. Dahlia flowers do not dye Cotton well and are not lightfast when mordanted with Alum. The colorant from dahlia flowers is an acid-base indicator dye that has been used to color test papers. It turns red with acids and green with alkalis.
Resources and Citations
- R.J. Adrosko, Natural Dyes in the United States, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, 1968
- E.J.LaBarre, Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Paper and Paper-making, Swets & Zeitlinger, Amsterdam, 1969
- Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "Dahlia." Accessed 13 Nov. 2004 .
- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahlia