I used Chicory Root last month when I did my last dark brown henna treatment, instead of coffee. Usually when I add coffee, I get my nice natural chocolate dark brown on my grays. This time I got red on my grays! They are taking a really long time to fade too.

So it appears that perhaps chicory is a strong red dye on its own?

mellie

Chicory leaves apparently can yield a blue dye. See "Other Uses"
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Cichorium+intybus

while this link refers to chicory yielding an orange as well as a blue dye - no specifics given though. See "Cichorium intybus"
"Chicory can be used .... orange or blue colors in wool."
http://www.norcrossws.org/norcross/Herb/dyebed.htm

More detail on the leaves
"Leaves can be boiled to produce a blue dye."
http://www.englishplants.co.uk/chicory.html

See "Major chemical constituents"
"A red dye .... isolated from the leaves"
http://www.partysmart.net/330RW08923DS/hm-chicory.htm

A reference here for the root for pink See "Herbs To Use" for egg dying
"Pink... Sorrel Root, Chicory Root, Madder Root, Beetroot, Raspberries, Cranberry Juice"
http://www.herbsociety.org.uk/hc-dye-eggs.htm

Oh, very interesting! I drink chicory and dandelion root tea/herbal coffee, so I have this on hand. Maybe I will experiment my next full henna.

It sounds like different colors are obtained in different chemical combinations. I wonder if ph affects it, or what?

How very interesting. I used to use coffee as my acid of choice in my henna, but it was a chicory/coffee blend. I'd noticed the color that I got from henna has changed, but thought it was *just* from changing henna suppliers. I wonder now if that was part of the equation as well.

There are anthocyanins in the leaves - anthos are found in hibiscus too, causing different colours in different pH solutions.
See "Major chemical constituents"
".... major anthocyanin of the red leaves"
http://www.partysmart.net/330RW08923DS/hm-chicory.htm

It looks like the anthocyanins are in every part of the plant. See "Substances"
http://en.heilkraeuter.net/herbs/chicory.htm