Eucalyptus prints research 天然植物染桉樹實驗

 

I've been doing research in the eco printing with local eucalyptus. We've quite some species of euc over Hong Kong but which ones yell colors of red, brown, orange or green are not known. I noted there are some in our scenic landscape in the north - Nam Sang Wai.

  I collected some leaves on my bike riding last week and done the testing.

總愛尋尋覓覓找那樹葉植物做天然印染, 桉樹葉一直是我要研究的品種, 這日與單車隊友閒踏南生圍, 沿著山貝河濕地草原漁塘, 景色恰人, 一個早上悠閒地欣賞原野及撿拾枝葉, 滿滿的回家做實驗.  就這樣葉子烙在絲料上, 怡人景致印在腦海中.

Nam Sang Wai is renowned for the peaceful landscape of farms and glistening fish ponds.

The day I followed our captain along the river for leisure and treasure hunting.......

Caught my sight are the casaurina with seeding ends....

 

Just by the fishing pond is the eucalyptus

 

We're not allowed to pluck in the wild. I just touched and smelt it.

Then we're heading along the path lined with tall River Red Gum trees was pleasant.

Stop......just under my feet....the wind blown off branch of eucalyptus.  Such good finds.

Without hesitation I picked up some,

We're in the bush of eucalyptus with luck I got this sort of blown off.

Going home eagerly to do the experiment with the handful leaves.

 

Leaves composition on knitted silk jersey with partial turmeric dyed and iron mordant. 

After an hour boiling, prints of brownish yellow.  Not too bad but not as expected red prints.

 

Casaurina is just fine with bold lines.  The yellowish red is from scattered euc silver dollar.

 

Shades are what I wanted on this piece with turmeric dye that brought out the yellow flower print.

   

This part of the composition with Limonium and Loropetalum Chinense 

Conclusion for the experiment of this sort of eucalyptus is brownish green.

Next time will get some others to try.