Persian Berry Extract – Turkish Buckthorn

Persian berry extract is a concentrated, water-based extract of Turkish cehri berries (dyer's buckthorn, Rhamnus, mainly R. petiolaris). It dissolves fully in warm water, so you get clean, even golden yellows with no straining, ideal for cotton, small batches, dye painting and printing.

Colors

• Alum: lemon yellow (low %) to deep gold (high %)
• Alkaline afterbath: orange-gold
• Iron: olive, khaki and reseda green
• Overdyed with indigo: greens

How to use

1. Weigh your dry fiber. Use 4–10% WOF extract, starting at 5%.
2. Mordant wool and silk with alum (10–15% WOF). For cotton and linen, use a tannin bath, then alum.
3. Dissolve the extract in a little hot water and add it to the dye pot with enough water for the fiber to move freely.
4. Dye the wet, mordanted fiber at 80–85 °C (176–185 °F) for 30–60 minutes, then cool in the bath for deeper color.

For printing: thicken the dissolved extract with gum arabic and print on mordanted fabric.

Fastness: good wash-fastness on alum-mordanted wool and silk. Lightfastness is moderate: like most flavonoid yellows it is less lightfast than weld. Use it where its warm golden tone matters, add cream of tartar to the wool mordant, and keep finished pieces out of strong sun.

Other names

Persian berries is a trade name, not a place of origin. In the 19th century most "Persian berries" sold in Europe were shipped from Smyrna (İzmir) and Aleppo. You may also see:

• English: Persian berries, Turkish berries, yellow berries, Avignon berries, buckthorn berries, dyer's buckthorn
• Turkish: cehri
• French: graines de Perse, graines d'Avignon, graine jaune, nerprun des teinturiers
• German: Gelbbeeren, Kreuzdornbeeren

From the Anatolian steppe to France

Cehri grows wild on dry, rocky slopes of Central Anatolia. Ottoman records name Kayseri as the largest growing area and İskilip (Çorum) as the source of the best berries. In 1852 İzmir alone exported about 650 tonnes, and by the late 19th century France was buying about 90% of all Ottoman cehri exports. French dyers and painters used it for yellows on silk and for the yellow lake pigment stil de grain. Dyers in Anatolia used it for the yellows and greens of carpets and silk.

Details

• Source: water extraction of dried unripe Rhamnus berries (Turkish cehri)
• Sizes: 30 g and 60 g
• Storage: sealed, cool and dry. Natural batches vary slightly.

Dye-ready fabric: try it on our undyed cotton fabric.

Safety

For dyeing only, not for food or medicinal use. Buckthorn berries contain natural laxative compounds (anthraquinones such as emodin). Keep away from children and pets, use dedicated dye pots, and wear a dust mask when you grind berries or measure powder.

Read the guide: Persian berries (buckthorn) dye guide · 6 mordant methods compared with buckthorn

Other forms: whole Persian berries · Persian berry powder

Work out exact grams for your fabric with our free natural dye calculator and WOF chart.

Frequently asked questions

How much Persian berry extract do I need?

Use 4–10% WOF. Start at 5%, which is 5 g of extract for 100 g of dry fiber. Use the higher end for deep gold.

Extract or whole berries?

The extract dissolves fully, gives very even color and is easy to store. Whole berries are cheaper per dye bath and can be used for several baths.

Can I use Persian berry extract for printing?

Yes. It dissolves completely, so you can thicken it with gum arabic and print or paint on mordanted fabric.

Does the extract need a mordant?

Yes. Use alum on wool and silk, and tannin plus alum on cotton and linen.