Genista tinctoria Dyer's Broom Some sources designate this plant as the original source
of besoms in Britain, but there is a lot of confusion between it and
witch's broom. Dyer's Broom does supply the makings of a bouquet traditionally
given to newlyweds in that part of the world. That fits interestingly
with its history as a symbol of the English royal family, the
Plantagenets. Geoffrey IV, father of Henry II, gathered this plant from
a large sloped grouping of rocks, saying it would
be his symbol because it prevented the rocks from
falling (it held them together with its underground runners). Perhaps
this is why it is given to the newlywed couple--to hold them together.
Consider this plant magically, then, not for sweeping out but for magic
dedicated to binding together and holding up/supporting and potentiating. It's
yellow flowers and its association with royalty make this a
good candidate for a Jupiter
association. Top
Dyer's
broom has been used for dyeing since Roman times and makes a good
yellow similar to that of weld, bright and fast. It colors wool, silk,
cotton, and linen with an alum mordant. Harvest the flowering tops and
either use them right away or dry them
and save them until you want to dye something; they'll retain their
strength for about a year. Kendal green, a greyish green named for the
town of Kendal in Westmoreland where it was first created, was made
from woad and dyer's broom; wool was
mordanted in alum, colored with this broom, and then dipped in woad dye
bath. This color green was worn by the 14th century Kendal Bowmen and
was the color of choice for foresters beginning in
1505. Contrast this to
Lincoln green, which is made from weld and woad. A typical dyer's broom
vat is 1 gallon chopped stems to 4 oz of wool. The flowers are also a
traditional Easter egg dye in the Carpathian Mountains, so give the
flowers a try for egg dyeing for Ostara. We would be interested to see if this
works without any mordant. Perhaps the simple addition of vinegar
to the water is enough. Top
This magic plant is naturalized in Britain and northeastern US. It's
nice for a foundation planting and is a good bee plant. However, it is
also attractive
to rabbits. It's a legume and fixes nitrogen in the soil, improving it.
Because of its underground runners, it's good on slopes for erosion
control but can also be a nuisance. Give it its own space. Top
Dyer's broom is known as also known as low broom to distinguish it from Cytisus
laburnum, which is ha broom (=high broom). Other names for this plant are dyer's weed, dyer's
greenwood, woadwaxen, greenweed, and genet. Top
How to Grow Dyer's
Broom
This seed needs cold stratification. Sow in paper towel that has been wet and
wrung out. Fold the paper towel together, pressing gently for good contact
with the seeds. Put it in a plastic baggie, leaving the bag open, and put the
bag either
in a refrigerator for three months or outside in a sheltered position
(unheated garage or shed) for the winter (see outdoor treatment)
After it germinates, plant in sterile potting soil, and then
transplant to a site with full sun, spacing plants 36-48in/90-120
cm apart. It gets 24-36in/60-90cm tall. Dyer's broom is a
hardy perennial down to -30F/-34C but does not like it too hot
(zone 9) and can't grow by the ocean. It can be propagated by seed, cuttings,
or runners. General
growing info. Top
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Dyer's Broom 40 seeds $3.75
Indigo Woad Weld Dyer's
Chamomile Dyer's coreopsis Safflower
Uses in
Witchcraft & Magic:
Increasing the strength of a spell Jupiter Herb
Other dye plants:
Dyer's
Chamomile Indigo Weld Woad
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No reproduction without permission
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