Cota tinctoria

Botanical Description

Cota tinctoria is an erect, clump-forming, evergreen perennial plant with stems that branch near the base and can become more or less woody. The plant grows around 60cm tall[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and a dye. It was at one time often grown as a dye plant, though modern synthetic dyes have greatly reduced the use of this species. It is often grown as an ornamental, the plant is especially valued for its flowering display - there are several named varieties[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. Human activity, especially the growing of cereals, has led to this plant being spread widely from its original range. As a weed of cereal fields, the seeds were often a contaminant of the grain and were sown where and when the grain was sown. Modern seed screening methods have greatly reduced the spread of this plant, though it has become established in many countries.