madder

Madder refers to the flowering plant Rubia tinctorum, a member of the Rubiaceae family. It has been valued since antiquity for the red dye obtainable from its roots. The species is native to the Mediterranean region and western Asia, and it is grown in many temperateareas for textile and artistic dyeing.

Description and cultivation: Madder is a herbaceous perennial with creeping rhizomes. It can reach up to about one meter in height. The leaves are small and arranged along the stems, and the flowers are tiny and pink to pale, produced in loose panicles. The red dye is concentrated in the dried roots, which are harvested after several years of growth, then dried and processed for dye extraction.

Dye production and use: The dye from madder originates primarily from anthraquinone compounds, chiefly alizarin and related derivatives. When the roots are boiled and processed, they yield red-to-rose shades used to dye textiles such as wool and cotton, as well as some silk. In art, madder-derived pigments, known as madder lake, have been used for centuries in painting.

Historical significance and modern context: Before the development of synthetic dyes, madder was a principal source of permanent red hues in many cultures. In the late 19th century, synthetic alizarin largely supplanted natural madder in commercial dyeing, but natural madder remains in use among natural-dye practitioners and in traditional crafts. Other Rubia species, such as Rubia cordifolia (Indian madder), have also been used for similar dyeing purposes.