Persian Berries (Whole) – Turkish Buckthorn

Persian berries (whole) are the dried, unripe berries of Turkish cehri, a dyer's buckthorn (Rhamnus, mainly R. petiolaris) native to the Anatolian steppe. They give some of the warmest, brightest natural yellows: from clear yellow to rich gold, orange-gold in an alkaline bath, and olive or reseda green with iron. Whole berries are the traditional form. Crush them, soak overnight and simmer to release the color.

Colors

• Alum: clear yellow to deep golden yellow
• Alkaline afterbath: orange-gold
• Iron: olive, khaki and reseda green
• Overdyed with indigo: bright to deep greens; with madder: warm oranges

How to use whole Persian berries

1. Weigh your dry fiber. Use 20–30% WOF berries for a full yellow, about 50% for deep gold and up to 100% for the deepest shades. Start at 30%.
2. Crush the berries in a mortar, or wrap them in a cloth and tap with a hammer.
3. Soak them overnight in hot water, then simmer gently for 30–60 minutes and strain. Keep the berries for a second, paler bath.
4. Mordant wool and silk with alum (10–15% WOF) and cream of tartar. Give cotton and linen a tannin bath first, then alum.
5. Dye the wet, mordanted fiber at 80–85 °C (176–185 °F) for 45–60 minutes, then let it cool in the bath. Avoid a hard boil, which dulls the yellow.

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

• Botanical name: Rhamnus (mainly R. petiolaris), dried unripe berries
• Origin: Anatolia, Turkey
• Main colorants: rhamnetin, rhamnazin, quercetin and kaempferol glycosides, with the anthraquinone emodin
• Sizes: 100 g, 400 g and 1 kg. Larger amounts: see our wholesale page.
• Storage: sealed, cool and dry. Natural batches vary slightly.

Dye-ready fabric: try it on our undyed 2-layer cotton gauze or wool and silk.

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: Persian berry powder · Persian berry extract

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

Frequently asked questions

What are Persian berries?

Persian berries are the dried unripe berries of dyer's buckthorn (Rhamnus). Ours are Turkish cehri from Anatolia. Despite the name, the berries sold in Europe historically came mainly from Turkey and Syria.

How much whole Persian berries do I need?

Use 20–30% WOF for a full yellow, about 50% for deep gold and up to 100% for the deepest shades. Start at 30%, which is 30 g of berries for 100 g of dry fiber.

Do Persian berries need a mordant?

Yes. Use alum on wool and silk, and tannin plus alum on cotton and linen. Without a mordant the yellow is pale and fades quickly.

How do I get green with Persian berries?

Dye yellow and give a light iron afterbath for olive and reseda green, or overdye the yellow in an indigo vat for bright greens.

Are seeds and berries the same thing?

Yes. Dyers often call cehri "buckthorn seeds", but the product is the whole dried berry. Crush the berries before use so the color releases fully.