A perennial or biennial herb. The thick tap roots of dyer woad can be 3-6 meters in depth. The leaves are simple blueish-green covered with fine hair. The vein on the upper part of the leaf blade is whitish cream. The stems range from 1-4 feet tall. The stem leaves are spear shaped and embraced by the stem. Flowers have a flat top with yellow petals. These can be found in terminal groups at the branch/stem end. The flower produces the fruit. The fruit is a single seed closed in a flattened green pod.

Antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral, astringent and febrifuge (leaves); antibacterial and anticancer (root); anticancer (root and whole plant)

Plants For A Future

The plant is used externally as a plaster applied to the region of the spleen and as an ointment for ulcers, inflammation and to staunch bleeding. The leaves controls a wide range of pathogenic organisms, including viruses. It is used internally in the treatment of a wide range of disorders, including meningitis, encephalitis, mumps, influenza, erysipelas, heat rash etc. The leaves are macerated and the blue pigment extracted. This is also used medicinally, particularly in the treatment of high fevers and convulsions in children, coughing of blood and as a detoxifier in infections such as mumps. The roots is used in the treatment of fevers, pyogenic inflammation in influenza and meningitis, macula in acute infectious diseases, erysipelas, mumps and epidemic parotitis. Its antibacterial action is effective against Bacillus subtilis, haemolytic streptococcus,, C. diphtheriae, E. coli, Bacillus typhi, B. paratyphi, Shigella dysenteriae, S. flexneri and Salmonella enteritidis. Both the leaves and the roots are used in the treatment of pneumonia.

Jing-Nuan Wu. An Illustrated Chinese Materia Medica. P: 131, Oxford University Press, Inc.2005.