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Isatis tinctoria

Woad

A table displaying which months are best to sow, plant and harvest.
Flowers
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Flowers	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D

Botanical name: Isatis tinctoria
Common name: Woad
Family: Brassicaceae
Plant Type: Biennial, Herb

Flower colour:

Yellow

Foliage colour:

Green

Woad is a European native wildflower, traditionally used as a clothing dye and body paint. The dye is made from the leaves, which are collected from flowering stems and dried in the sun. Once dry, the leaves are ground into paste and left to ferment. The fermented leaves are then moulded into cakes, mixed with water and fermented again. The final step is to infuse the twice-fermented leaves with lime water. The dye is blue and used in place of indigo.

Biennial, woad develops leaf rosettes and deep roots in its first year, and flowers in its second year, before setting seed and dying. Flowers appear in loose racemes, are yellow and develop into large, flat, blue-black seedheads.

Woad is a member of the cabbage family and therefore should be rotated to prevent the build up of diseases, including club root.

How to grow Isatis tinctoria

Plant size

2m height

50cm spread
Aspect

South facing, west facing

Sun exposure: Dappled shade, full sun

Plant calendar

A table displaying which months are best to sow, plant and harvest.
Sow
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sow	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Plant
Plant	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Flowers
Flowers	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Harvest
Harvest	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D