Buckthorn (Rhamnus petiolaris Boiss.) is a traditional natural dye also known as Anatolian Buckthorn, Persian Berries and Cehri. This fascinating dye plant has a long history of use in Turkey and Anatolia, where it has traditionally been used to produce beautiful yellow shades in textiles.

Buckthorn is naturally rich in colour-producing compounds, particularly flavonoids including rhamnetin, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin, together with the anthraquinone dye component emodin. These naturally occurring compounds contribute to the characteristic yellow and golden colours obtained from the plant.

The colour produced can vary considerably depending on the fibre, dye concentration, mordant and dyeing method. Buckthorn can produce shades ranging from soft straw and pale yellow through golden yellow, amber and orange-yellow, with mordants and modifiers capable of producing deeper olive, green and khaki tones. Published dyeing studies have demonstrated a particularly broad colour range, from light yellow through to strong green shades.

Key Features

• Botanical name: Rhamnus petiolaris Boiss.
• Common names: Anatolian Buckthorn, Persian Berries, Cehri
• Traditional natural dye from Anatolia
• Naturally rich in flavonoid colour compounds
• Produces beautiful yellow, golden yellow and orange-yellow shades
• Can produce olive, green and khaki tones with suitable mordants or modifiers
• Suitable for experimenting with a wide range of natural dye colours
• Suitable for wool, silk and other natural fibres
• Can be used for both traditional and contemporary natural dyeing
• An interesting dye for textile artists, natural dyers and students of traditional plant dyes

Colour Characteristics

Buckthorn is particularly valued for its yellow dye potential. On appropriately prepared fibres it can produce pale straw yellow, bright yellow, golden yellow, amber and orange-yellow shades.

Changing the mordant, modifier or dye concentration can produce significantly different results. Deeper, more muted and greenish shades, including olive and khaki, can be achieved through suitable dyeing techniques and modifiers.

As with all natural dyes, the final colour will depend on the fibre, mordant, water quality, dye concentration, temperature, extraction method and dyeing time. Natural dyeing is inherently variable, making Buckthorn an excellent dye for creating individual and unique colour results.

Suggested Dyeing Rate

For Buckthorn Seed, start with approximately 20% WOF (Weight of Fibre).

This is a useful starting point for achieving a good depth of colour while allowing you to adjust the amount according to the fibre and the shade required.

For stronger or deeper shades, increase the quantity to approximately 30–50% WOF.

As a guide:

• 100g fibre: 20–50g Buckthorn Seed
• 500g fibre: 100–250g Buckthorn Seed
• 1kg fibre: 200–500g Buckthorn Seed

Published research on Rhamnus petiolaris has successfully used 20% WOF in dyeing wool, while other research has investigated the use of 25%, 50% and 100% WOF on wool yarns. These studies demonstrate that the quantity of Buckthorn can be varied considerably according to the depth of colour desired.

WOF = Weight of Fibre. For example, 20% WOF means using 20g of dye material for every 100g of dry fibre.

For your first dye bath, we recommend starting at 20% WOF and increasing the quantity in subsequent dye baths if a deeper colour is required.

How to Use

Preparing the Dye Bath

Soak the Buckthorn Seed in water before dyeing to allow the plant material to become thoroughly hydrated. Gently heat the dye bath to extract the colour, then strain if you prefer to dye without the plant material in the bath.

Research into Rhamnus petiolaris has used both hot and cold extraction methods, with hot extraction involving boiling the plant material and cold extraction involving an extended soak in water.

For a simple starting method, prepare the dye bath using approximately 20% WOF, gently heat and allow sufficient time for the colour to extract before adding the prepared fibre.

Mordanting

Buckthorn responds to mordants and modifiers, allowing the dyer to explore a range of colours from the same plant material.

For wool and silk, alum can be used as a traditional mordant. Published research into Rhamnus petiolaris has specifically examined alum-mordanted wool and silk, with successful yellow and other natural colour results.

For cotton, linen and other cellulose fibres, a suitable mordanting process is recommended before dyeing. Plant fibres can require additional preparation to achieve good colour depth and evenness.

Iron and other modifiers can be used experimentally to shift Buckthorn towards deeper, muted or greener shades. Always test modifiers on a small sample first.

Dyeing Tips

• Start with 20% WOF and increase to 30–50% WOF for deeper shades.
• Pre-soak the plant material to improve extraction.
• Ensure fibres are thoroughly scoured and wetted before dyeing.
• Alum can be used with wool and silk to develop yellow and golden shades.
• Experiment with mordants and modifiers to explore olive, green and khaki colours.
• Keep notes of your dye quantity, mordant, temperature and dyeing time so successful results can be reproduced.
• Always make a small test sample before dyeing a larger quantity.

Ideal For

Buckthorn is ideal for:

• Natural dyeing of wool and silk
• Experimenting with natural yellow and golden shades
• Creating olive and khaki tones using modifiers
• Traditional and historical natural dye studies
• Textile artists and natural dyers
• Natural dye workshops and educational projects
• Exploring traditional Anatolian dye plants

Please Note

Natural dyes are affected by many variables, including the growing conditions and age of the plant material, water quality, fibre type, mordant, dye concentration and dyeing method. Consequently, colour results can vary between batches and dyeing projects.

The colour swatches shown or described should therefore be considered a guide rather than a guaranteed colour outcome. We recommend carrying out a small test before committing to a larger dyeing project.

Buckthorn | Rhamnus petiolaris Boiss. is a particularly interesting natural dye for anyone wanting to explore traditional yellow dye plants and the wide range of colours that can be developed through different mordants, modifiers and dyeing techniques.