True blue fun at Allen Centennial Garden

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A recent workshop at the Garden showcased the scientific wonder that comes from fermenting indigo plants.

Last year staff at Allen Centennial Garden grew, fermented and bottled their own indigo plants, and on May 30, visitors to the garden took part in the final (and most magical) step: using the shimmering blue-green liquid to tie-dye. The fun was part of a workshop hosted by the Gardens. Attendees hand-dipped their fabrics of choice and watched as they instantly turned from a yellow-green to bright blue after removing them from the natural dye. The result is part of a chemical reaction from the fermentation of indigo plants.

Fun fact: Indigo dye comes from several different plants that are unrelated through the phenomenon of convergent evolution, which happens when unrelated lineages develop similar traits or chemical compounds. Japanese Indigo (native to tropical Asia and parts of China), True Indigo (native to tropical Asia and Africa) and Dyer's Woad (native to the Caucasus and Europe) all evolved across different times and space, but ended up with the same ability to synthesize indican. The wild indigo in our prairies is slightly related to True Indigo, but it produces a weaker blue dye and is more commonly known as "False Indigo."