Indigo bush

Indigofera tinctoria

Indigo is a small insignificant-looking bush, yet its importance in the past surpasses all other natural dyes. Believed to have originated in India, it has been cultivated throughout the tropics. It can also grow successfully in cooler regions that have a long and hot growing season. Its popularity is due to the high concentration of blue pigment extracted from the leaves as well as for being easy to cultivate in both wet and dry climates. An added benefit is its ability to enrich the soil with nitrogen; for this reason, farmers have also used it as a natural fertilizer.