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As a natural dyer, I am more of a forager than a
grower of dyestuffs. Several years ago, I decided to
create a 100 percent locally sourced sweater (see
Resources) and began using foraged buckthorn as a
dyestuff. A handful of berries that I was able to collect
from this invasive shrub in late September gave me
a lovely substantive green, which is a fairly unusual
color in the world of natural dyeing. This first step
led me to three summers of dyeing, researching, and
experimenting with different parts of buckthorn
shrubs to achieve a surprising range of colors on wool.What Is Buckthorn?
Buckthorn is a huge genus of shrubs. In my research,
I have focused on two of the species in the genus. The
first is Rhamnus frangula (also known as Frangula
alnus), known as glossy buckthorn, alder buckthorn,
breaking buckthorn, or black dogwood. The second
species is Rhamnus cathartica, known as common,
European, or purging buckthorn. Both species are
invasive where I live in Massachusetts, as they are inDyeing with
Buckthorn
By Cindy CraftPhotos by Matt Graves unless otherwise indicatedmost of North America. I had been removing glossy
buckthorn from my yard long before I discovered its
hidden potential as a dyestuff.Where to Find Buckthorn
If you are an urban dweller living in North America
and want to forage for buckthorn, most towns with
conservation land and nonprofits who manage land
are happy for you to come and collect any and all
parts of the two invasive buckthorns I’ve described.
(Always seek permission before foraging.) I have an
abundant source of glossy buckthorn on my own land.
I didn’t know where I could find common buckthorn
in my area, so I contacted Trustees of the Reservation,
a nonprofit in my area. They were able to put me in
touch with folks who manage a park near me with a
large stand of common buckthorn. One of the most
appealing aspects of dyeing with buckthorn is that
I can feel good about cutting down and using up an
invasive plant.