Dandelion - Dye Plants Taraxacum officinale     Related Resources • Natural Dyeing Information • Natural Dye Plants • References • Bookstore We think of Dandelions as a common weed, and we spray our lawns and dig them out. Kids love dandelions and like to blow their seeds everywhere, spreading the dandelions that adults work so hard to get rid of. But did you know that dandelions can be useful? There are many references to using dandelion roots to produce a red dye. I have heard that several people have tried this without success, presumably because there are many varieties of dandelions growing in our lawns and gardens. I found some dandelion root in my local health food store, so I thought I'd try and see if this type would work. I placed about 25 grams of the dandelion root into a jar of water and let it soak for a couple of days. The water looks like it has some pink/red colour so this experiment seems hopeful. Dandelion Dandelions can be cultivated for use in salads and as an herbal medicine. The milky white sap can also be used to remove warts. Mordant Colour Alum yellow Tin orange Iron khaki, olive green Blue Vitriol gold Vinegar beige