Prairie Coneflower Dye Plants

Ratibida columnifera. The quirky flowers resemble tiny hats, hence one of its other common names, Mexican Hat. The plant produces different colors on protein fibers such as silk and wool, than on cellulose fibers such as cotton and linen. On wool, the flowers give lavender-gray to blueish-green while the leaves dye tans. On cotton, we’ve been told that a light purple can be had from the flowers and yellow from the stems and leaves. As a native plant of the dry prairie, coneflower withstands drought and heat. Plant in full sun on a dry site.