As long as you have red, yellow and blue you can mix and match to make almost any colour. Some of these dye plants are more resistant to fading in sunlight or getting washed out of the fibre than others.
Any plant name that is in bold is a perennial (or biennial).
Red -
Medieval European- Madder (Rubia tinctoria), Lady's Bedstraw/Cleavers (Galium verum)
Other- Amaranth (Hopi red dye), Dyer's Alkanet, Henna (Lawsonia inermis) (shrub), Joe Pye Weed, Dyer's Woodruff (Asperula tinctoria), Brazilwood (tree)
Orange -
Medieval European- any yellow + Madder, or just Madder itself
Other- Dyer's Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria), Orange Cosmos, Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldstrum') (edges into dull yellow)
Yellow -
Medieval European- Weld (Reseda luteola), Yarrow (Achillea millefollium), Dyer's Chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria), St.John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Broom (Genista tinctoria)
Other- Marigold (Tageles erecta, t. patula), Goldenrod (Solidago spp.), Mullein (use a mask and hand protection due to irritating hairs on the plant) (biennial), Safflower (Crocus sativus), Hollyhock (Alcea rosea), Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius) (edging into green) (shrub), Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) (edging into green), Coreopsis (Coreopsis grandiflora), Buckthorn (bush), Eupatorium(Ageratina adenophora),Kamala(Mallotus philippinensis) (tree), Osage (Maclura pomifera)(tree)
Green –
Medieval European- any yellow + Woad
Other- any yellow + Indigo, Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Eupatorium (Ageratina adenophora),Kamala + iron mordant
Blue -
Medieval European- Woad (Isatus tinctoria) (biennial)
Other- Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria) (shrub)
Purple -
Medieval Europe -
Other- Elecampane roots (Inula helenium), Black Hollyhock, Logwood (tree), Dyer's Alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria)(not very lightfast in sunshine, used more for soaps and cosmetics)
Brown -
Medieval European- Chestnut (tree), Walnut (Juglans regia) (tree)
Other- Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)(tree), Zinnia (Zinnia elegans), Hollyhock, Acacia tree/Cutch(Acacia catechu)(tree)
Black -
Medieval European- Meadowsweet roots (shrub), Oak bark and acorns (tree)
Other- Black Walnut + iron mordant, Hopi Black Dye Sunflower, Gipsywort,
Grey -
Other- Black hollyhock
To get other colours you can use lichens, mushrooms, and insects (including a special sea snail which gives a brilliant red-purple or summer sky blue).
Where to buy plant dye seeds in Canada
Salt Spring Seeds - has a few different kinds of seeds
Westlake Knits - seed kits and individual packages
And some places in the States
The Woolery - excellent selection
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