Dyer's Madder
Rubia tinctorum
- Native to:
- Afghanistan, Albania, China, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Sicilia, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam
H. Zell
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Rubiaceae
- Genus:
- Rubia
- Species:
- Rubia tinctorum
- USDA Symbol:
- RUTI2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, green
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- thrives in calcareous soils
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best at temperatures around 20°C. Fresh seed germinates more readily than stored seed.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI