Shades of Green...

This story begins with Daphne gnidium (flax-leaved daphne). This Mediterranean plant’s scientific name alludes to Apollo’s mythical pursuit of the young maiden Daphne, which culminated in her being turned into a laurel tree, a similar plant. Gnidium reveals its geographical association with the Ancient Greek city of Knidos, which was situated in Turkey’s Datça peninsula, on the coast of Asia Minor.

Our present-day Daphne, Anna De Col, lives and works in Villamassargia, in Sardinia. The Sardinian name for flax-leaved daphne is truiscu. Just like in the rest of the Mediterranean, it grows wild there and is known for its poisonous properties and thousands of uses. It has been used for treating people and animals, as rat poison and as a broom for sweeping traditional ovens. Placing hands and feet on the still-warm broom was even used to treat chilblains. Bunches of Daphne were hung in chicken coops to rid hens of fleas. When goats and cows gave birth, it was placed near the placenta to keep the flies at bay. Anna has researched the use of Daphne gnidium as a dye plant. It is one of the most widely used dye plants in Sardinia and can produce different colours depending on the part of the plant used and time of harvest.

Shades of Green… The Journey of Four Skeins of Yarn