Family: Resedaceae
Genus: Reseda
Species: luteola
(i) General background on the plant
Weld, or dyer’s rocket as it is sometimes known, is a biennial herb. It grows 30-100 cm tall and is common in waste places and in ploughed fields on chalky soil. It has an unbranched or slightly branched stem, with long spathulate leaves. Flowers are pale yellow and usually consist of four sepals and four petals. The flowering period is June to September. Weld is originally a native of the Mediterranean region and is now found in many other parts of the world. The plant used to be widely cultivated for its dye - every part of the plant, except the roots can be used for dying.
(ii) Details of quality characters
The dye is a flavone, which is a natural yellow of a phenyl benzo-pyrone structure. It is present in the plant as the glycoside or tannic esters.
(iii) Current production and yields
(iv) Constraints on production
(v) Markets and market potential
Cultivated for its dye, it is used to colour textiles yellow.
(vi) Other information
It is found on dry to moderately dry sites, roadsides, gravel banks and preferably on calcareous soil. Weld is sometimes found as a weed in perennial crops like vineyards.
See the following pages in the NF-2000 Database
AIR2-CT94-0981 Periodic progress report
January 1998
(vii) Contacts
(viii) References
Clapham, A. R., Tutin, T. G. and Warburg, E. F. 1962. Flora of the British Isles. 2nd Edition. Cambridge University Press.
Goodwin, J. (1981). A Dyer’s Manual. Pelham Press.