The photos above are of commercial cane dyed with bloodroot. These instructions are from Sandra Pallie a citizen of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma and member of the Cherokee Artists Association. This is as she instructed me:
What you need:
- 2 gals. of water
- 1 cup of cut blood root
- 1 cup of plain table salt to set the dye
- 1 coil of commercial cane
- Enamel Stock Pot (commonly called your dye pot)
- Nylon stockings either panty hose or knee highs
Cut the blood root into pieces and place in a nylon stocking, this eliminates the need to strain your dye bath and keeps the natural material from cluttering the dye bath up.
Combine the water, blood root and salt in your dye pot and boil it for about 10 minutes. Then add your cane (or other natural material) continue to boil for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours.
Now check your cane by taking a small piece out of the dye pot to check the color. This is probably the most important part of the process, since it is this checking that will show you the color you have obtained. Remember when wet the cane color will look dark, so if you let the cane dry, you will get a better idea of what the color will be when you remove it. If the color is too light, you can at this point add more bloodroot boil the mixture for another 10 minutes and again let the mixture set for an additional period of time. The length of the time you leave the cane in the dye pot depends on the color you want, darker takes longer than lighter and will require more dye material. Your color will be anywhere from a pale yellow to a dark burnt orange.
Adding alum to the dye bath will turn the blood root to a more red-orange. So it just depends on what color you want and the best way to achieve the desired color is to take the basics and experiment. Alum is considered a mordant and there are likewise other mordants you can experiment with to see if and how it will change the color.
Once you have finished or gotten to the desired color, you can put the remaining dye bath into a container and freeze it for future use. It will last for about a year. Any remaining roots you have you should also be put in the freezer for future use.
Mike Dart, also a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a member of the Cherokee Artists Association, brings his dye to a boil and then simmers it for about 1/2 hour, so with every basket weaver who uses the natural dyes, the process becomes one of personal preference.
I'm new at this so, I'm still experimenting.
The cane dyed in the photos above, was made with 1 gal of water and one cup of blood root, however, 2 cups of blood root would have given me a darker color and 2 gals of water would have given me a more consistent color since the cane could have circulated in the water better. Since this was my first time trying this, the color came out good but could have been darker. I also simmered my dye bath with the cane for about a 1/2 hour, then set is aside for a short time and simmered it again. I repeated this process for several hours however, Sandra tells me it should not take more than 2 hours to reach the desired dark color. If by that time it has not gotten dark enough, then you would need to add more blood root and repeat the boiling process again.
I did not use the alum mordant since I was looking for a color which would match that used by Eva Wolfe in her baskets. Her bloodroot is darker than mine but it appears she likewise did not use any type of mordant in her dye for at least some of her baskets.
This same dye method will work on any natural material including woods splits, honeysuckle etc and reed used in Cherokee basketweaving as well. You will of course need to vary the recipe depending on the amount of material you are dyeing.
FAQs
Many Native American groups, including the Meskwaki, Haudenosaunee, and Omaha, used bloodroot as a dye. The roots also served medicinal purposes as an emetic, gastrointestinal aid, tuberculosis remedy and dermatological treatment for cuts, sores, and poison ivy.
What does bloodroot do for the body? ›
Bloodroot is often used in alternative medicine as a topical or oral antibacterial agent. When used internally, bloodroot is believed to relax smooth muscles, particularly in the heart and lungs. This is believed to improve cardiovascular and respiratory health.
Can you eat bloodroot raw? ›
Bloodroot is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth, short-term. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and grogginess. Long-term use by mouth in high amounts is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. At high doses it can cause low blood pressure, shock, coma, and an eye disease called glaucoma.
Is bloodroot the same thing as turmeric? ›
Bloodroot acquired its name from its orangey-red, thick underground stem and has gone by many other names, including Red puccoon, Coon root, Snakebite, Sweet slumber, Red root, Corn root, Turmeric, and Tetterwort.
Is bloodroot legal? ›
Bloodroot capsules may contain several of the same ingredients as Black Salve and must not be taken by mouth. The black salve and bloodroot capsules contained the Schedule 10 banned substance Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot) under the current Poisons Standard.
How much is bloodroot worth per pound? ›
Increasing demand, however, has shifted this material into a higher price band, and it currently (2020) trades from $10.00-16.00 per pound on a wholesale level. Herbs suppliers are selling dried, cut bloodroot for about $90 per pound.
How to harvest bloodroot? ›
Most bloodroot is harvested in the fall, but some is harvested and sold in spring. If harvesting in fall, more than likely the leaves will have died back, making it difficult to know where plants are located unless the beds were clearly marked beforehand. If hand digging, a spade fork works well.
What are the side effects of red root? ›
You should avoid using pure red root extract to stay on the safe side. The red root may also lead to blood clotting. People having blood thinners or blood clotting disorders should avoid red root extracts. According to research, red root bark can show blood coagulating properties and cause clotting.
Is bloodroot a medicinal plant? ›
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is a plant, native to North America, containing bioactive compounds that interrupt biological processes. It has been around for centuries and is known for its medicinal properties.
How to take bloodroot internally? ›
Only small amounts of bloodroot should be taken internally, since amounts as small as 1 ml (approximately 20–30 drops) of tincture or 1 gram (approximately 1/30th ounce) can cause nausea and vomiting.
Interesting Facts
The red sap was used by First Nations People as a dye and insect repellent. CAUTION: The sap is an irritant, and the rhizome (thickened underground root) is poisonous and should not be eaten. Sanguinaria is from the Latin "sanguinarus" which means bleeding. Bloodroot is in the Poppy Family.
What animals eat bloodroot? ›
Slugs are not the only animals that harm bloodroot, as deer, groundhogs and turkeys use bloodroot as a food source.
What is another name for bloodroot? ›
Sanguinaria canadensis
L. Sanguinaria canadensis is sometimes known as Canada puccoon, bloodwort, redroot, red puccoon, and black paste. Plants are variable in leaf and flower shape, and have been separated as a different subspecies due to these variable shapes, indicating a highly variable species.
Where can I find bloodroot? ›
undisturbed woodlands, on flood plains and on slopes near streams or ponds in zones 3-8. It is generally rare but can be locally abundant. The reddish sap that exudes from all parts of the plant, but especially the root, when cut is what prompted the common name of bloodroot.
Why is it called bloodroot? ›
Both the scientific name, Sanguinaria canadensis, and the common name, bloodroot, of this spring wildflower are descriptive. The generic name Sanguinaria has its roots in the Latin word for blood, and bloodroot describes the root-like rhizome of this plant, which contains a bright red sap.
How did Native Americans heal wounds? ›
Native Americans made poultices from the evening primrose plant for bruises and wounds and used its stem and leaf juices as topical remedies for skin inflammations. The leaves were taken orally for gastrointestinal complaints and sore throats, while the roots were used externally to treat piles and boils.
How did Native Americans use plants as medicine? ›
Indigenous people in North America have long used currants and gooseberries medicinally. The Comanche people used a berry tea as a gargle to soothe inflamed throats. The Prairie Potawatomi tribe made a decoction from the root, which was a good eyewash to remove foreign particles or soothe tired or infected eyes.
What did Native Americans put on their skin? ›
For hundreds of years, many Native cultures mixed ground plants with water to create skin protectants from the sun. Products they used such as sunflower oil, wallflower and sap from aloe plants have all been documented for their effectiveness in keeping skin healthy and protected from the sun's rays.
What did Native Americans use when they had their period? ›
Cedar bark, as painful as that might sound, was used by Native American women as a menstrual pad and even as diapers.
