Alizarin

Language:

English

Botanical classification

Rubia tinctorum L.

Order:

Gentianales

Family:

Rubiaceae

Synonyms:

Rubia iberica ( Fisch. ex DC.) K. Koch

Rubia tinctorum var. iberica Fisch. Ex DC.

Plant growing area

This species is native to western and central Asia. It was spread by cultivation in temperate regions.

China, Korea, India (Kashmir), Iraq, Iran, Japan (Honshu), Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Russia (Crimea), Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

Japan, Korea.

Plant cultivation and use

Rubia tinctorum is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial roots plant which can reach 1m in height. It prefers porous and loose soils. The nature of the soils (acid or alkaline) influences the final color. Calcareous soils increase the amount of dye in the roots. The flowers are very small, have a yellow-green color. Flowering occurs in July. The fruits are small and black.

This is one of the oldest dyes in India and Egypt (archaeological remains in these two regions dating back to the second millennium BC.). It is also used as a pigment (especially for painting) since the Greco-Roman antiquity. It owes its success firstly because of the range of colors it provides especially in the combination with other dyes and secondly to its low cost compared to animal reds; thus, it was used in the Antiquity as an excellent imitation of the murex purple. Its introduction in the Far East is also very old. Its use will disappear with the advent of aniline dyes.

It is also used for its medicinal properties, in particular antibacterial properties and in removing kidney stones.

The rhizomes contain 19 anthraquinonic dyes which the most important are alizarin and purpurin in greater concentration in the bark of rhizomes. The inner part of the root contains a yellow liquid which becomes red in contact with the air. Drying of the rhizome has implications in the contained amount of purpurin: fresh rhizome contains a little amount because purpurin is formed by the transformation of pseudopurpurine.

Japan:

The plant is native to Japan. Its use in textiles dates back to the 4th century. The dye is used in dyeing fabrics and also for prints.

The advent of synthetic alizarin has significantly reduced demand for natural dye.

Other Rubia grown in Japan for their dye are : Rubia cordifolia L., Rubia argyi (H. Léveillé & Vaniot) H. Hara ex Lauener & DK Ferguson better known as Rubia akane Nakai.

Preparation process for making paper

Madder is propagated by planting seed or root division. The plants are harvested in the third year of the plant because the concentration of dye is greater. The harvest takes place at the end of autumn.

The roots are sorted, scrubbed, dried and the bark is stripped from the roots. This bark is crushed into powder. The powder is stored in barrels to age before being sold to the dyers.

Madder contains two colorants: one is red and the second is dark yellowish and soluble in water. To separate them, it is necessary to dissolve the madder powder in water and make it decant. The yellow supernatant water is removed and the operation is repeated until the water runs clear.
Then madder is boiled for several hours and then filtered through a cloth. It is kept liquid.

Another method is to get what is called "madder flower". The roots powder is treated with acidulated water and then rinsed to remove the yellow dyes, mucilages and minerals. The resulting powder has a better dyeing power.

The mordant is generally alum. The use of iron as mordant gives a violet color.

Japan:

The plant is torn when it is 18 to 30 months, at the end of summer when the stems begin to fade. The roots are dried either in the open air or in an oven for several days. They are then crushed into powder. They can be stored in this form before being used for dyeing.

Immediate use: the root is cut into pieces and placed in water to soak. The extract is filtered. Then fresh water is added and the operation is repeated for several extracts which will be mixed together. The second extract which tends to be orange is sometimes discarded.

Alum must be used as mordant to set the color to the fibers.

Dyeing is performed in two ways: pulp dyeing (sukizome) or sheet dyeing (hitashizome by dipping or hikizome by brushing).

To dye paper by soaking, the sheets are plucked one by one between two wooden sticks by the small side. This will keep the sheet flat during soaking.

Korea:

Fermented rice starch is used for the separation of red and yellow dyes. The roots cut in pieces, are boiled for 2 to 3 hours and then the starch is introduced into the tank. The filtered liquid is ready to use.

Alum is used as mordant to get an orange tint and an alkaline mordant will give a bright red.

The papers are dyed in three ways: dyeing of the pulp (Seonyeombeop), dyeing of the sheet by dipping, brushing and spraying (Huyeombeop ), combination of the both methods (Honyeombeop). Then the paper can be hammered.

Vernacular names

Chinese

Ran se qian cao	染色茜草

Japanese

Indo akane	インド茜
Seiyou akane	せいようあかね

Korean

Western Kkokduseoni	서양 꼭두서니

French

Garance des teinturiers

English

Alizarin

English

Common madder
Dyer's madder
European madder
Madder

Paper names

In Asia and particularly in China, Korea and Japan, the papers are intended for a wide range of use: Papers for calligraphy and art, Papers for ceremonies, Paper as a medium of exchange, money paper, Papers for making clothes, wall hangings and bedding, Papers for architecture, interior design, Papers for crafts of various kinds, for domestic purposes and leisure. The names assigned to the paper refers to different notions: The material used, The place of production, The method of production, Appearance, Dimensions, Use, The name of an artist or a studio etc.

Korea:

Suffix ji = paper.
In Korea papers made with paper mulberry bark are the most numerous.

Papers

Korea

Dahongsangpumdoryeonji
Hongdangji
Hongjeojuji
Hongpaeji
Maehongji

Used part of the plant:

Root

Use for paper making:

Dye

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Alizarin

Rubia tinctorum L.

Papers