Japanese Indigo
$24.00 $0.00 ( / )

Japanese Indigo is not, if we're being honest, the most beautiful plant you can grow. But hot damn is it a fun one! Take these leaves, stick them in a blender, and you've got a vibrant dye. Magic! Pure magic!

SHIPSBeginning the first week of March, or after your last frost date. If you want your plants earlier, (because you’re a risk-taker or have a greenhouse, for example), just email us and we’re happy to accommodate
ZONEGrows everywhere in the USA (annual, zones 2-11)
INCLUDES3 plants, each in a 2.5" diameter pot
Botanical NamePersicaria tinctoria

Spring Plant

SummerBloom

Winter

Description

Japanese Indigo leaves must be used fresh, so have everything ready before you harvest. Harvest 10 or so stalks of Indigo, stick the leaves into your blender, cover with very cold water, and blend. Strain this mixture into your dying pot, mix in 2T white vinegar, and stick the cloth you want to dye into the pot. Mix it around for about 5 minutes - 1 hour depending on how deep you want the color. It will look yellow-ish/green in the pot, but when you pull the cloth out of the pot and expose it to oxygen it turns blue! Behold! After rinsing if you want a darker color, simply put it back in the pot. Includes 3 young plants.

SUN Full sun, or part shade
HEIGHT 1-2ft when full grown
SPACING 3" between plants
CLIMATE Heat Loving
DEER Deer resistant
KIDS+PETS Non-toxic
WATER Likes regular water
INDOOR+POTSGrows well in containers outside.

How to Plant

Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball. Fill a little bit of the loose dirt back into the hole and tuck your plant in so the base of the stem is even with the top of the hole. Now fill in the rest of the soil around the roots, give the soft ground around the base of your new plant friend a few solid pats to compress the soil onto the roots, and a long, gentle drink of water.

Where to Plant

Find a place that gets a decent amount of sun, in well draining soil.

When to Plant

Avoid the heat of the day when planting — plant in the early morning, late afternoon, or by the light of the moon. Plant outside after your average last frost in the spring.

When to Expect Blooms

We're here for the foliage.

Care Instructions

Water regularly and wait until the plant has matured around July to harvest leaves for dye.

Extra Credit

Produces tiny pink flowers in the fall.