The Hopi Black sunflowers are looking beautiful in the dye garden – all 750 of them!

The seed hulls can be used to produce colourfast purple and grey colours.

Hopi people have traditionally used Hopi Black Dye sunflowers to make a dye for cotton, wool, and basketry. Colours yielded include, maroon-red, dark purple, deep lavender, and black dye.

Direct sow seeds after the last frost. As the seeds emerge thin out to 18 – 24 inches apart. They can grow to 8 feet high and require staking.

The seeds are beautiful – shiny and black and very attractive to the birds all around. I, therefore, protect them with netting at this stage – although I do leave plenty for the birds to feast on over winter.

If you are interested in dyeing with hopi black dyes seeds I highly recommend a wonderfully informative book – NAVAJO – HOPI DYES.

BUY HOPI BLACK DYE SEEDS HERE