Wild and cultivated tree, medium size, widely distributed in the Andean highlands and eastern slopes, near water sources. This tree gives a soft white wood highly prized for the manufacture of rustic furniture. It also has medicinal properties and acts against the fever, bleeding, flu, such as healing and anti-rheumatic. Alder bark yields a brown dye, which was used in the dyeing of the pre-Hispanic textiles.

Scientific name: Alnus acuminata Family: Betulácea

Common names: Aliso Huayau, Lambros, ramram in Quechua

Botanical Description: The Alder is a tree growing medium to large. It has alternate leaves, pointed with finely serrated edges. Its inflorescence is long and gives a cone-shaped fruit with scales and winged seeds. The alder wood is white and soft.

Ecological level: The alder is distributed in the Andean highlands and eastern slopes between 1,000 to 3,300 masl in ravines and near water.

Historical Background: The alder trees is one of the most popular and common throughout the Andean region. It was cultivated in pre-Hispanic times. In the textile art of cultures Ancon, Chancay, Inca, Nazca, Tiahuanaco and Wari, have been observed brown fibers, dyed with alder leaves and bark. The ancient Peruvians also used the wood of this tree for making long beams used in construction of houses. And in popular medicine for the treatment of rheumatic diseases, inflammation and wound infections.

Quote from reporter: "Alder is the tree that is wider in all provinces of Peru, which originates in the temperate valleys of the highlands, whose wood is spent that much on all the buildings in the city of Cuzco and other places where woods are not achieved stronger ... "Cobo (VI, 2)

Uses: The Alder wood is used as to make rustic furniture, boxes, yokes, etc. shoe lasts. also as firewood and charcoal, also tinged with yellow bark and tannin content is used for tanning. It is also nitrogen-fixing soil and protect the river banks and irrigation canals.

Dyed with alder How? Color: Brown (bark), green or yellow (young leaves). Material: 3 kg of well-cut alder leaves and crushed. Dyeing: Prepare the wool with 150 g of alum (15%) in water. Browse the leaves in a pot of water with alum. Boil for one hour. Strain and cool the dye. Pour the wet wool prepared with alum and boil half an hour, moving well. Rinse until water runs clear. This leaves yellow. Color Development: To bring out the dark green wool dye, add a little iron sulphate, boil again for half an hour and wash well. (Encyclopedic Dictionary of Useful Plants of Peru - Antonio Brack).

Status of species: This species is found in the wild and cultivated also provides many benefits such as its timber and its dyeing properties. Almost all the Andean forest species are under pressure due to logging for centuries. The alder deserves special attention by the many benefits it offers. Reforestation with native species of the Andes is a necessary task.

It is a small plant whose roots were much appreciated since ancient times because it gives them a lovely red tint. Its use is associated with development of the great pre-Hispanic textiles, especially of the Paracas culture.

The experts were able to obtain paraquenses dyers of this species, countless shades of red, a skill that until today admire.

Scientific name: Galium Relbunium hypocarpium or hypocarpium Family: Rubiaceae

Common names: Antanco or chamiri, Chapi Chapi.

Botanical description: A small herbaceous with long roots and leafy often without petiole. Its flowers are tiny and yellow fruit is crimson berries.

Ecological level: It is a wild plant whose distribution is the high jungle and mountains up to 4,500 m

1200 AD Chancay Fabric

Historical Background: The genus has about 25 species Relbunium: between annual and seasonal spread from Mexico to Argentina. Many of these species are mentioned in the literature of red dyes and were used since pre-Columbian times as in the case of the Paracas culture, whose red robes were stained with these roots. Fester, a chemical Argentina (1953) analyzed the red dye used in textiles of Paracas and concluded that he probably was obtained from roots of Relbunium nitidum. Peruvian Chemistry, Noemi Rosario Paracas analyzed fibers stained with red dye, and determined that the genus Relbunium. It is now necessary studies and detailed analysis of dyes and dyestuffs, used in textiles Paracas.

Quote from reporter: "Chapi-Chapi. This is a small plant that produces seeds lying on the ground short, petite leafy della .... The Indian advantage in dyeing wool red." B. Cobo (IV, 63)

Uses: antanco or chamiri From its roots are used for red dye wool and cotton.

Method of dyeing: Used 1kg of wool or cotton antanco root 1kg. You crush the roots antanco and allowed to ferment for 1 to 3 days with little water. Then place the antanco fermented in a pot with water and fed the wool. Boil ½ hours over low heat, turning. Subsequently cooled or cotton wool into the dye, then wash with water.

Status of species: The antanco is an herb that grows wild in temperate climates

Plant dyeing qualities strongly associated with cotton, from pre-Hispanic times. The strength of blue on textiles is of great admiration. The secrets of the art of dyeing should be investigated.

Scientific name: Indigofera suffruticosa Family: Leguminosae.

Common name: Indigo mutuy cube, Indigo.

Botanical Description: Indigo is a sub-shrub with erect stems, compound leaves, leaflets oval, barely pubescent on the underside; inflorescence axillary racemes shorter than the leaves, has small pink flowers and vegetables compressed. It blooms in the months of January and February.

Ecological level: the indigo or indigo is typical of tropical America. In Peru distributed along the coast and the Amazon.

Historical Background: The indigo or indigo was of great importance in pre-Hispanic cultures as Ancon, Tiahuanaco, Wari, Chimu, Chancay and Inca, as the leaves and stems was obtained a dark blue to dye the cotton fibers, used in the making of cloaks, tunics, unkus, loincloths, and so on. Dr. Fortunato Herrera, botanical Cuzco, Peru Florida researcher says that in the province of La Convencion, in Cuzco, is still preserved the memory of indigo cultivation in the past. Note that this plant is from the Amazonian forest, and it is possible that the coastal cultures like Chancay, Chimu Ancon, which obtained through exchanges with people in the forest, and started cultivation on the coast.

Quote from reporter: "It is the plant that is called Anir blue ink. It is a shrub. The leaves, in shape and size, are very similar to those of chickpea. B. Cobo (V, 31)

Uses: It has medicinal uses as it serves as an antidote to scorpion bites, it is also a great antiseptic that heals skin ulcers. It is a valuable blue dye that colors and is known as Indigo, a commercial level.

How to dye with indigo? Color: Blue. Material: Collect the leaves of indigo and pound fresh in a fulling mill. Quantity: 5 to 10 kg of indigo and 1 kg of wool or cotton cloth. Dyeing: Put the crushed leaves of indigo in a container with water. The color is darker if added to the solution 20 To 40 g of potassium carbonate. Add the wool or cloth and leave for half day or full day. If you warm the dye comes out better. Remove the wool and wash until the water runs clear. (Encyclopedic Dictionary of Useful Plants of Peru - Antonio Brack).

Status of species: Indigo is a shrub that grows wild and cultivated. The potential of dye plants is very large and with high demand. The country is one of the leading exporters of dyes and natural dyes to the world, so it deserves special care and increasing the agricultural frontier in this species.

Ancient dye plant that was used by the old "chemical" of the Hispanic cultures, for a variety of colors yellow and green. Currently, the Chilca is used by the weavers craft, keeps the tradition of their ancestors. This plant was also highly valued in medicine for their antiflamatorias and antirheumatic properties, as mentioned by chroniclers.

Scientific name: Baccharis latifolia Family: Asteracea

Common names: Chilca, chilca black, white chilca; ch'illka in Quechua.

Botanical description: A shrub with a fibrous root and cylindrical flexible stem. Its leaves are simple and lanceolate with capitate male flowers arranged in inflorescences of white flat.

Ecological level: The chilca is distributed from Venezuela to northern Argentina between 1,000 and 4,000 meters. In Peru, grows in abundance in the streams of the Sierra.

Historical Background: According to historians and chroniclers chilca been used since ancient times by pre-Hispanic cultures, highlighting among others, Ancon, Tiahuanaco, Wari, Chimu, Chancay and Inca. These sheets chilca used to obtain from them the yellow and green, which was used to dye the fibers of its textiles. Historians relate that this shrub grew in abundance in the streams of the mountains, having identified at least 14 species of this genus. The ancient Peruvians also used the wood of this plant to its buildings and its branches in basketry. With the ashes of chilca, was drafted llipta, Chacchas powder cocaine. In folk medicine used to treat rheumatism, dislocations of bones and as an activator of blood circulation.

Quote from reporter: "It's a genre Chilca and material that serves to (dye) in green, yellow and moss, and so on. And to break white or another color other than brown" Treaty of the Jesuits. ''This is a well-known killing of Indians and Spanish for its good effects; born in large numbers in the plains of Peru on the banks of rivers, and serves as firewood ... applying the Indians used hot della against any cold sore, and to this end the toast with cinnamon and drizzled with wine or brandy. It is called this shrub in the general language of Peru, chilca.''B. Cobo (V, 44)

Uses: It has medicinal uses as antiflamatorio and anti-rheumatic. It is used in agroforestry for the protection and soil conservation; so in phytochemistry. Its stems are used in basketry and the ashes of these for the development of Lliptta powder accompanying the chewing of coca. The wood is used as construction material.

How Chilca dyeing? Color: Yellow or green. Material: 3 kg of leaves chilca well cut and crushed. Dyeing: Prepare the wool with 150 g of alum (15%) in water. Browse the leaves in a pot of water with alum. Boil for one hour. Strain and cool the dye. Pour the wet wool prepared with alum and boil half an hour, moving well. Rinse until water runs clear. This leaves yellow. Color Development: To bring out the dark green wool dye, add a little iron sulphate, boil again for half an hour and wash well. (Encyclopedic Dictionary of Useful Plants of Peru - Antonio Brack).

Status of species: A wild and cultivated bush. The dyes and natural dyes have great economic potential and demand in the world, it would be desirable to increase the production of dye plants in order to develop a natural dye industry, based on biodiversity resources.

Beautiful tree evergreen native of Peru, adapted to coastal climates, mountains and jungle. Their large estates, dye, medicinal, ornamental and pesticides, were highly appreciated by the ancient Peruvians who called it''virtuous tree.'' Chemicals obtained from pre-Hispanic molle yellow dye, used in dyeing of textiles has been made in the Wari Culture. Also achieved, making the fruits of one molle chicha widely consumed fermented and appreciated in those times, which became a commodity to be bartered for fish, geese, dehydrated potatoes and other goods.

Scientific name: Schinus molle Family: Anacardiácea

Common names: Molle, Molle serrano pepper in Peru; mulli, cullash, huiña in Quechua.

Botanical Description: Tree up to five meters high, which is open crown, highly branched and overhanging branches, its trunk is twisted. It has compound leaves 15 to 20 leaflets, with a very pungent odor and taste characteristic spicy flowers are small, their flower clusters, pink and red, with seeds. It grows well in any soil and is drought resistant. It is widely used in parks and gardens.

Ecological level: the molle tree grows in temperate and tropical climate from sea level to 3,500 m. Located on the coast, mountains and forests in dry areas and has been introduced to other countries as an ornamental tree because of its unique beauty.

Historical Background: The pepper tree is a tree native of Peru. In pre-Hispanic times molle was grown both on the coast and in the highlands, was well known by all cultures as much under the tree "because of the many properties he owns. This tree was used for its dyeing properties, as shown in Wari textile art, notable for the variety of yellow tones. The pepper tree trunk exudes a resin that may have served in the Andean cultures to embalm their dead. Ashes from the pepper tree leaves are rich in potash and may have served as a mouthwash. With the rotting leaves herself a kind of fertilizer called''catalytic''r'ockescca in which the seeds of corn plunged to raise output.

Quote from reporter: "It is the incorruptible molle tree, a fragrant odor, and hot-tempered, and very estipticida, highly esteemed by the Indians for their wonderful effects. Giving some gashes in the trunk and on branches, exudes a resin white and fragrant, which served to keep free from corruption enbalsamar and bodies of the Inca kings, when they put in their huacas or graves. It is infinite things .... resin casts a red strawberry-sized clusters of elder, which tend to make chicha Indians ... "B. Cobo (VI, 78)

Uses: The properties molle dyeing, cooking the leaves and bark yields a yellow dye that can stain the cotton and wool. The ashes of molle also helps to wash and fix dyes, and to strip corn, wheat and barley. Its ground seeds are in great demand as pink peppercorns, and also used for producing beer, vinegar and honey. And if little has pesticidal properties. In traditional medicine is used as anti-rheumatic, laxative, against sore throat, headache and toothache. Its wood is used in carpentry and as Orcona, and agroforestry as windbreaks and for shade.

How stained with molle? Color: Yellow (bark and leaves) Material: For every kilo of wool are used 2kg molle leaves and bark. Dyeing: In the baking of the crust and leaves a yellow liquid is obtained, alum is added and soaked wool and tissues, we obtain a permanently stained yellow. (Encyclopedic Dictionary of Useful Plants of Peru - Antonio Brack)

Status of species: wild and cultivated tree coast, mountains and jungle of Peru, very helpful. Ought to be used for reforestation of the hillsides and rocky hills with sparse vegetation.

It is an excellent dye plant where it gets bright blue, used in dyeing of textiles from pre-Hispanic cultures such as Paracas and Inca. The strength of this natural dye lasts to this day in these textiles, causing worldwide admiration. The Mullaca also has medicinal properties is an excellent remedy for thrush, fever, asthma and coughs.

Scientific name: Muehlenbeckia volcanic Family: Polygonaceae.

Common names: Mullaca in Aymara, laura, coca-coca Bejuquillo

Botanical description: A small shrub which grows mainly in the Andean highlands, is hairless, very branched and semitrepador has almost orbicular leaves bright green, and its name "volcanic", due to the fact grow between igneous rocks. It blooms in November.

Ecological level: It grows in the mountains between 1,500 and 4,500 m It develops in dry among the rocks and volcanic rocks, deriving from his name there.

Historical Background: The Mullaca is a plant, whose name is of Aymara origin, as it was developed in areas where they settled great cultures such as Wari, Tiahuanaco and Inca. The flower of this species has a dark blue dye that was used since ancient times for dyeing fibers were used in the manufacture of textiles. The Mullaca was also used medicinally to cure thrush, control of asthma and fever.

Quote from reporter: "Mullaca is a small grass ... Take some subtle flowers, whitish lower than in the elder, with a very vastaguitos amid short, thin, red and whose tops are as small as points. With these flowers, when ripe and then turn black, blue stain ...." B. Cobo (IV, 41)

Uses: Mullaca has medicinal properties: The leaves and stems are used to good effect on colds, nasopharyngitis, bronchitis, canker sore, fever, cough and asthma. It is also anti-allergenic. Its flavor is not so strong it could be used in children.

How Mullaca dyeing? Color: Blue. Material: Collect leaves and pound fresh Mullaca a fulling mill. Quantity: 5 to 10 kg of leaves Mullaca and 1 kg of wool or cotton cloth. Dyeing: Put the crushed leaves of indigo in a container with water. The color is darker if added to the solution 20 To 40 g of potassium carbonate. Add the wool or cloth and leave for half day or full day. If you warm the dye comes out better. Remove the wool and wash until the water runs clear. (Encyclopedic Dictionary of Useful Plants of Peru - Antonio Brack).

Status of species: The Mullaca is a herb or shrub that grows wild in the mountains of Peru ... the potential for dyeing and medicinal plants is very large. Debiese harnessed for economic development and community with the knowledge millennium of use, and thanks to them persist to this day.