Indigo is a natural dye obtained from the leaves of some plants of the Indigofera genus, in particular Indigofera tinctoria. Dye-bearing Indigofera plants were once common throughout the world. It is now produced via chemical routes. Blue colorants are rare.

Indigofera tinctoria[2], also called true indigo, is a species of plant from the bean family that was one of the original sources of indigo dye. True indigo is a shrub 1–2 metres (3 ft 3 in – 6 ft 7 in) high. It may be an annual, biennial, or perennial, depending on the climate in which it is grown.

Dec 14, 2018 · Indigo comes from the genus Indigofera, a plant that has over 750 individual species. The most popular species is Indigofera tinctoria: true indigo.

Jul 27, 2021 · Indigofera tinctoria, often called true indigo or simply just indigo, is probably the most famous and widespread dye plant in the world. It’s a wonderfully useful plant, however, and very much worth growing for the adventurous gardener and home dyer. Learn more here.

Historically, indigo dye was extracted from several species of plants to produce the distinctive blue color prized for textile dying and other uses. However, when most people think of the “indigo flower” they are referring specifically to two species – …

Jul 18, 2015 · Years ago, plant based dye was about the only option for coloring yarn and fabric and the plant with one of the oldest histories would have to be indigo. Indigofera tinctoria, or Polygonum tinctoriumn are two plants known as indigo.

Sep 9, 2020 · True indigo is the source of a natural blue dye. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, true indigo is probably native to China, tropical Asia and parts of Africa, and has been in cultivation since at least 4000 BCE. It was grown as a cash crop in the southeastern US from the 1700’s onwards, and has naturalized in some areas.

Jun 18, 2024 · The indigo plant is a tropical shrub that typically grows to 2-feet to-3-feet tall and wide. Its native range is likely to be Western tropical Africa, Tanzania to South Africa, along with the Indian Subcontinent to Indo China.

What is real indigo? Indigofera is a genus of over 750 species of plants, many of which have the common name “indigo.” However, it is Indigofera tinctoria that imparts indigo color, so named for the deep blue dye it produces that has been used for thousands of years.

true indigo. Kingdom. Plantae. Location in Taxonomic Tree . Genus. Indigofera. Species. Indigofera tinctoria. Identification Numbers. TSN: 26750. Geography. Launch Interactive Map. Working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.