Mimosa Hostilis Root Bark Powder
Botanical use only
$37.501/4 lb
Sassafras Root Bark, Cut (Sassafras albidum)
Cut sassafras root bark from Sassafras albidum, a North American dye tree. Gives tan, orange-brown and rose-brown on wool. Sold by the pound for dyeing and craft only.
About Sassafras Root Bark, Cut (Sassafras albidum)
What you get
Root bark of Sassafras albidum, cut into pieces: warm red-brown, with the spicy scent the tree is known for. Sassafras is a member of the laurel family native to eastern North America, from southern Maine to eastern Texas, and the easiest tree in an American wood to recognize by its three leaf shapes on one branch.
It is one of the older dye materials on the continent, and the root bark is the part that carries the most color. Sassafras albidum, a North American dye tree tells more of that story.
What colors does sassafras root bark dye?
On wool, sassafras root bark gives warm tans, orange-browns and rose-browns. Alum-mordanted wool comes out clearer and brighter; an iron afterbath takes the same bath to soft greys and grey-browns. Protein fibers take it best. Cotton and linen need a tannin-then-alum mordant to reach any real depth.
It pairs well with Mimosa hostilis: an overdye of sassafras on a pale Mimosa hostilis pink pushes it toward coral and terracotta.
How to use it
Soak the cut bark overnight, then simmer it gently for an hour or more until the bath is well colored. Strain the bark out, add wetted and mordanted fiber, and hold the bath below a boil so the color stays warm rather than dull. A reasonable starting amount is 25 to 50 percent of the dry fiber's weight, since sassafras is lighter in color than Mimosa bark. As with any new dye, test a small skein first; see testing a dye before you commit a fleece.
Beyond the dye pot, the dried bark is used for its scent in potpourri blends and in historical and educational craft displays.
Not for human consumption
Sassafras root bark contains safrole. Federal rules prohibit safrole, oil of sassafras and sassafras bark intended for flavoring from use in human food (21 CFR 189.180). We sell this bark for dyeing and craft only. It is not food, not a supplement and not for human consumption. Keep it away from children and pets, and use separate pots for dyeing.
Sizes, price and ordering
Sold by weight at one price per pound, in 1/4 lb, 1/3 lb, 1/2 lb and 1 lb sizes. The buy box shows the price for the size you choose, and parcel orders from 100 dollars ship free. For larger quantities, ask on the bulk and wholesale page.
You place your order, a person confirms it and sends payment details in your order chat, and the order ships from California with tracking once payment is confirmed. US addresses only; see the shipping policy. Every order is packed in a double-sealed, smell-proof bag that is flushed with nitrogen before it is closed: the nitrogen pushes the oxygen out, so the bark does not oxidize in transit or on your shelf and arrives as fresh as the day it was packed.
Why buy Sassafras Root Bark, Cut (Sassafras albidum) here
- A traditional North American dye bark: tans, orange-browns and rose-browns on wool.
- Overdyes beautifully with Mimosa hostilis for corals and terracottas.
- Packed in double-sealed, smell-proof bags flushed with nitrogen to keep oxygen out, so the bark stays fresh.
- Four fixed sizes from 1/4 lb to 1 lb, with bulk pricing on request.
- Ships from California to US addresses, free on parcel orders from 100 dollars.
Sources
Specifications
- Botanical name
- Sassafras albidum
- Family
- Lauraceae (laurel family)
- Native range
- Eastern North America
- Part
- Root bark
- Cut
- Cut pieces
- Color in the bag
- Warm red-brown
- Sold by
- The pound: 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1 lb
- Ships from
- California, to US addresses only
- Intended use
- Natural dyeing, potpourri, craft
- Use restriction
- Not for human consumption; see 21 CFR 189.180
Lab testing and certificates
Every batch is tested before it is offered for sale, on a full panel rather than potency alone.
- Licensed resellers
- The official certificate is issued to licensed resellers on provision of a licence. Send it with your enquiry on the wholesale page and the full report for your batch comes back with your pricing.
- Everyone else
- The summary for your batch is issued to verified buyers on request, against the batch code printed on your package. Ask us on the contact page.
Before you decide
What this material is, how to read the report that comes with it, and what the law says where you are.
Guide
Mimosa Hostilis Root Bark: A Dyer's Handbook
Mimosa hostilis root bark is the inner bark of the root of Mimosa tenuiflora, a fast-growing tree of north-eastern Brazil and southern Mexico. Dyers buy it for one reason: it is unusually rich in tannin, and tannin on protein fibre gives purple. It is sold by the pound in three cuts.
GuideHow to Read a Certificate of Analysis for Root Bark
Check four things in this order: does the batch code on the report match the bag in your hand, when was it tested, is the laboratory accredited for those tests, and does the report cover species identity and contaminants such as heavy metals and microbes. A report that fails the first check describes different material.
GuideHow to Order Root Bark Here, and How Payment Works
You order here by sending a request, not a payment. A person checks the stock and your address, then sends payment details in your order chat and by email for the method you chose: Cash App, Chime, Apple Cash or Bitcoin. Once payment arrives, the bark is weighed, nitrogen-sealed and shipped from California with tracking.
Questions people ask
All questionsWhat color does sassafras root bark dye?
On wool it gives warm tans, orange-browns and rose-browns. Alum mordant makes the color clearer and brighter, and an iron afterbath shifts it to soft greys and grey-browns. Wool and silk take it best.
Is sassafras root bark legal to buy?
Yes, as raw botanical material for dyeing and craft. Federal rules prohibit safrole, oil of sassafras and sassafras bark intended for flavoring from use in human food (21 CFR 189.180), so it is sold here for dyeing and craft only and not for human consumption.
How much sassafras root bark do I need to dye wool?
Start around 25 to 50 percent of the dry fiber weight, which is 4 to 8 ounces for a pound of wool. Sassafras is lighter in color than Mimosa bark, so it takes more for the same depth.
Can sassafras be combined with Mimosa hostilis?
Yes. Overdyeing sassafras on a pale Mimosa hostilis pink moves it toward coral and terracotta, and the two share a dye pot well on alum-mordanted wool.
How is the root bark packed?
In a double-sealed, smell-proof bag that is flushed with nitrogen before sealing. Nitrogen displaces the oxygen inside the bag, which stops the bark oxidizing, so the color and freshness hold in transit and in storage. Reseal the bag after each use to keep it that way.
Where does it ship from?
From California, to US addresses only, with tracking once payment is confirmed. Parcel orders from 100 dollars ship free.
What is Mimosa hostilis root bark used for?
It is sold as raw botanical material for natural dyeing, soap color, leather work and craft. Dyers use it for rose, plum, burgundy and brown on wool and silk, and grey to charcoal with an iron afterbath. It is not food and it is not for human consumption; at checkout you confirm that is what you are buying it for, and that confirmation is stored with your order.
Should I buy powder, shredded or whole root bark?
Shredded for everyday dyeing: it strains cleanly and gives second and third baths from the same bark. Powder for test skeins, small batches and cold-process soap, because it releases color fastest. Whole chips and strips for stocking up, because they keep longest and can be broken or milled when you need them.
How much Mimosa hostilis do I need to dye a pound of wool?
Plan on 50 to 75 percent of the dry fiber weight for a mid shade, which is 8 to 12 ounces of bark per pound of wool, or 25 to 40 percent for a pale tint. Deep plum and burgundy take up to an equal weight of bark and fiber. Test a small skein first, because water and fiber change the result.
Do you offer bulk or wholesale pricing?
Yes. Root bark is priced by the pound in 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1 lb sizes, and larger quantities for dye studios, soap makers, schools and resellers are quoted by a person. Use the bulk order page or email sales@mimosalsd.com with the cut and the quantity you need.
Do you ship to my state?
Yes. We ship to every US state and the District of Columbia, and your cart shows the delivery option and cost for your address before you order.
When do I pay for my order?
After a person has confirmed it. You place your order and choose a payment method; we check the stock and the address it is going to, then send payment details in your order chat on this site and by email. Your order is confirmed once payment arrives. We never ask for card details.
How old do I have to be to order?
You must be 21 or older. You confirm your age once, when you enter the site, and everything we sell is for adults 21 and over, whatever the product.
