Daffodil (Narcissus)

Daffodils are one of the first signs of spring in the UK, recognised for their bright yellow trumpet shaped flowers and thin green leaves.
After flowering, the spent flower heads can be gathered and used for natural dyeing. Pruning the heads also helps the plant to conserve energy within the bulb for the following year.

Daffodils contain natural yellow pigments within the petals and flower heads. When simmered they typically produce yellows ranging from soft primrose shades to brighter golden tones depending on the concentration of plant material used.

Daffodils contain only small amounts of natural tannins, and the colours are very weak without pre-soaking in mordants. Alum often produces clean bright yellows, while iron can dull the colour slightly, shifting it toward olive or muted orangy-brown tones.

Daffodil dyes work particularly well on wool and silk, though cotton and linen may produce lighter pastel shades. Because the flowers appear abundantly in spring gardens and landscapes, using the spent heads offers a simple way to experiment with seasonal dyeing.

Images show tests using silk, cotton, linen and wool samples.
Samples where tested with no mordant, alum mordant and iron mordants as well as using a soda ash modifier after dyeing