Apple tree, ground

Appletrees (Malus species, Rosaceae) are known to contain the yellow flavonoid compound quercetin (from the Latin word quercus, meaning "oak“) in their bark. They have been used as a source for natural dye for centuries. The „Trierer Farbenbüchlein“, a color recipe compendium from the 15th century, states: „Take the skin or bark of the apple tree and cook with vineagar and alum.“ The natural dye from appletree bark produces yellow to brownish hues. To obtain the coloring matter, the skin, inner bark and especially the thin, young branches of the apple tree are cut, ground, and subjected to hot (not boiling) water and digested with dilute acid or aluminium to achieve and fix beautiful yellow hues. The older and thicker the apple-tree bark, the more brownish the resulting color nuances. Appletree bark can be used to dye cotton, linen or wool. In addition to appletrees, the plant polyphenol quercetin can be found in many other fruits, in grains, vegetables and leaves.

About 100 g alum is needed for 1 kg shredded pieces of apple tree.