Dyers Green

[nightshade]

I was shown a plant and told it was called Dyers Green I assume this was
because it was once used as a source of Dye ,any other info please

[Tursiops2]

You're probably referring to Dyer's Greenweed, genista tinctoria Dyer's Broom Or Dyer's Greenweed Online Encyclopedia Article About Dyer's Broom Or Dyer's Greenweed
T2

[nightshade]

Thanks Tursiops2,the plant I saw was 15-18"tall growing in the middle
of a wildflower meadowand had more in common with the woad image
it was not yet flowering

[Tiggrx]

Originally Posted by nightshade

Thanks Tursiops2,the plant I saw was 15-18"tall growing in the middle
of a wildflower meadowand had more in common with the woad image
it was not yet flowering

If it was a proper natural wild flower meadow I would suspect the plant you saw was Dyer's Greenweed (Genista tinctoria). It is usually a rather low shrub and is typical of unimproved meadowland. Woad on the other hand is a species of cliffs at only two British sites, occasionally occurring as a stray from gardens or more often planted elsewhere.

[JennyS]

Could it have been Weld, Reseda luteola also known as Dyers Weld - spikes of small greenish flowers?

[oceanroc]

My book [Roger Phillips Wild Flowers of Britain] says that Dyer's Greenwood Genista tinctoria gets its name as follows:
"The flowering tops provide a yellow dye or a green, when dyed again with blue from Woad, or vice versa - hence the name 'Greenwood'"

Rachel!