The common madder is a perennial plant grow up to 1.5 m in height, it’s native to the Mediterranean and
the dye properties of the madder root appear to have been known from the earliest historical times. The roots can be over a meter long, up to 12 mm thick and the source of red dyes known as rose madder and Turkey red.
Madder was formerly cultivated for a red dye known as alizarin, which was obtained from the ground-up roots.
The dye is extracted from the dried roots, available in small cylinder chops 8-10 mm long and 0,5-2 mm thick, with longitudinal ribbed pattern. The external red purplish skin wraps the red ochre cortical portions. The center of the thick root is yellow after cut, but it turns red with exposure to the air.
West Europe (France).
Madder has been cultivated as a dyestuff since antiquity. Madder roots produce a variety of natural reds including orange, brick red and terracotta till dark red using iron mordant.
The root is used to make herbal medicine for preventing and dissolving kidney stones, as well as and for treating general menstrual disorders, and urinary tract disorders, blood disorders, bruises, jaundice, paralysis, spleen disorders, and sciatica.
Strong, similar to Wormwood.
From 18th al 30th month of growing.
