Did you know that Echinacea, also known as Coneflowers, has served historically as both a medicinal plant and a non-toxic colorant for food, yarn, and fabrics? The petals from this flower make interesting non-toxic colorants in various colors, including red, blue, pink, purple, orange, and yellow, offering a wide range of options.
Other added benefits of growing and using Echinacea in a recovery garden
- Fabrics and yarn often have harsh dyes and chemicals used to create the colors, and often it is difficult to find fabrics or yarn that looks natural because of this.
- Increasing the knowledge of how to use natural colorants in everyday life helps to learn about a flower that is both medicinal, helps in sustaining endangered butterflies, and aesthetically beautiful.
- The more uses we find for heirloom flowers and vegetables the more we have the probability of increasing biodiversity in simple, easy actions in everyday life through spreading heirlooms.
Fabric and Yarn Echinacea (Coneflower) Colorant Recipe
Ingredients:
- Fresh Echinacea (Coneflower) petals
- Water
- Mordant (alum or tannin)
- Fabric or yarn
Instructions:
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Harvest fresh coneflowers on a sunny day when the petals are fully open. Remove the petals from the flower heads and set them aside.
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Place the petals in a large pot and add enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
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Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove any debris. The liquid should be a bright pink or purple color.
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To use alum as a mordant, dissolve 1/4 cup of alum in 1 gallon of water. Soak the fabric or yarn in this solution for 30 minutes before dyeing.
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To use tannin, bring 1/4 cup of tannin powder and 1 gallon of water to a boil. Soak the fabric or yarn in this solution for 30 minutes before dyeing.
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Add the fabric or yarn to the dye bath and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the desired shade. Then remove the fabric and rinse it in cold water until the water runs clear.
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Once the fabric or yarn is rinsed, hang it up to dry in a well-ventilated area.
TIP: It’s important to note that the color intensity will depend on the color and freshness of the flowers, as well as the mordant used. You can also experiment with different variations of the recipe to achieve the desired color intensity or shades.
Natural dyes can fade over time, especially if exposed to sunlight, so it’s best to keep your dyed items out of direct sunlight or wash them in cold water.
Food Coloring Recipe made from Echinacea (Coneflowers)
Ingredients:
- Fresh Echinacea (Coneflower) petals
- Water
Instructions:
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Harvest fresh Echinacea (Coneflowers) on a sunny day when the petals are fully open. Remove the petals from the flower heads and set them aside.
-
Place the petals in a small pot and add enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
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Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove any debris. The liquid should be a bright pink or purple color.
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Allow the liquid to cool completely. You can then use it as a natural food coloring.
You can also dry the petals and grind them into a powder to use later. However, when the petals are not fresh the color might not be as vibrant.
TIP:
The color intensity will depend on the color and freshness of the flowers, and also the quantity of petals used. Experiment with different variations of the recipe to achieve the desired color intensity or shades.
Keep in mind that natural food dyes tend to fade over time, especially if exposed to heat or light, so it’s best to use them close to the time of preparing the food.