Alcea rosea L.

Botanical classification

Alcea rosea L.

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Malvaceae

Synonyms:

Althaea rosea (L.) Cav.

Althaea rosea var. sinensis (Cav.) S. Y. Hu

Althaea sinensis Cav.

Plant growing area

Not known in the wild but believed to have originated in China or from the tropical areas of South-East Asia.

Widely cultivated as an ornamental. China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Sichuan, Yunnan), Pakistan, Taiwan.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Korea, Japan.

Plant cultivation and use

Biennial or perennial herb up to 2 to 3m high, cultivated as an ornamental. It is in flower from July to September. The flowers have colors ranging from white through pink and dark red to black.The purple flowers provide purple and blue-violet dyes.

The dying components are anthocyanidols: cyanidol, delphinidol, malvidin. The leaves contain a green dye and the flowers, a red one.

The dye was used to dye silk, wool, cotton and hides.

The roots and the flowers are used in Tibetan medicine: flowers and root are demulcent, diuretic and astringent.

The plant has also nutritional properties: the young leaves are eatable; a nutritious starch is obtained from the root and a tea is made from the flower petals.

China:

It is mainly used for its medicinal properties. It is used to dye ceremony papers and cards of scholars.

Japan:

Used as dye for fabrics.

Korea:

Used as dye for fabrics.

Preparation process for making paper

Using alum and tartar mordants allow a range of colors from blue to purple. Iron gives very dark red, almost black.

China:

The flowers are harvested when they are opened and are dried for later use. The dye is extracted from the petals. The petals can be used either fresh or dried.

Japan:

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:

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

Rongkui	戎葵
Shu kui	蜀葵

Japanese

Rongkui	戎葵, ,
Shukui	蜀葵
Tachiatoi	たちあおい, 立葵 , タチアオイ

Korean

Jeopsikkot	접시꽃

French

Mauve
Rose de Chine
Rose trémière

English

Chinese hibiscus
Hollyhock
Rose of China
Shoeback plant

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.

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Papers

China

Guanjian zhi

Used part of the plant:

Leaf

Flower

Use for paper making:

Dye

Search form

Alcea rosea L.

Alcea rosea L.

Papers