Isatis tinctoria Seeds | Isatidis Radix
LATIN NAME: Isatis tinctoria
COMMON NAME: Woad
Plant Profile
Woad (Isatis tinctoria) is an upright, biennial in the cabbage family. Woad is blue-green rosette of old fields, and loose clusters of small, yellow flowers rise above broad leaves. Leaves have a very long record as fine blue dye of old cloth, and roots hold a long record in old practice of the warm East. It is a plant of open, sunny, deep, moist, well-drained ground. Its flowers draw a steady traffic of bees and other beneficial insects. Put simply, this is a rewarding species for anyone willing to give it a suitable spot.
Science & Biotechnology
Seed science, comparative botany and horticultural selection all touch on Isatis tinctoria, a representative of the cabbage family with clear practical value. A long cultivation history means growers know what to expect from it.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Woad for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. Woad is a fine, historic plant of dye garden and old fields. Cut old stems down after seeds and fresh, blue-green rosettes will come again from the crown. Once settled, it thrives on neglect more than on fussing.
Woad is doubly famous: its leaves dyed Europe blue before indigo, and its root, Ban Lan Gen, with the leaf Da Qing Ye, is among the most-used Chinese antiviral folk herbs, taken in granules at the first sign of colds across East Asia.
Growing from Seed
Seed is the natural starting point for Woad, and the process is uncomplicated. Level a tray of loose seed compost, sow evenly, cover to about the seed’s own depth, and keep it moist in full light. Prick the seedlings out once they are large enough to handle, grow them on in bright light, and plant out when conditions allow.
Our Take
It grows as an upright, biennial, so its place in the garden is easy to plan. Start with fresh seed, keep it evenly moist, and the plant does the rest itself.
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