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Reference · Crops

Madder family

Common madder (Rubia tinctorum) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Rubiaceae family. Historically, it is the most significant species of the genus used as a source of red dye, extracted from the roots and rhizomes, and widely utilized in traditional and modern medicine.

Main sections

Pavetta23 Neonauclea14 Palicourea13 Oxyanthus9 Paederia6 Ophiorrhiza3 Oxyceros3 Pauridiantha3 Pentagonia3 Pentas3 Nertera2 Ochreinauclea2 Otomeria2 Pachystigma2 Neohymenopogon1 Neolamarckia1 Nertera1 Nostolachma1 Oldenlandia1 Otomeria1
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What the section contains

Neohymenopogon Neohymenopogon 1 item Neolamarckia Neolamarckia 1 item Neonauclea Neonauclea 14 items Nertera Nertera Banks et Soland. ex. Gaertn. 1 item Nertera Nertera 2 items Noricum bedstraw Galium noricum Norman's bedstraw Galium normanii Normandia neocaledonica Normandia neocaledonica Northern bedstraw Galium boreale Nostolachma Nostolachma 1 item Ochreinauclea Ochreinauclea 2 items Oldenlandia Oldenlandia L. 1 item Oldenlandia affinis Oldenlandia affinis Oldenlandia auricularia Oldenlandia auricularia Oldenlandia bojeri Oldenlandia bojeri Oldenlandia callitrichoides Oldenlandia callitrichoides Oldenlandia capensis Oldenlandia capensis Oldenlandia corymbosa Oldenlandia corymbosa Oldenlandia echinulosa Oldenlandia echinulosa Oldenlandia goreensis Oldenlandia goreensis Oldenlandia herbacea Oldenlandia herbacea Oldenlandia lancifolia Oldenlandia lancifolia Oldenlandia linoides Oldenlandia linoides Oldenlandia nagporensis Oldenlandia nagporensis Oldenlandia nudicaulis Oldenlandia nudicaulis Oldenlandia officinalis Oldenlandia officinalis Oldenlandia praecox Oldenlandia praecox Oldenlandia prostrata Oldenlandia prostrata Oldenlandia pumila Oldenlandia pumila Oldenlandia salzmannii Oldenlandia salzmannii Oldenlandia sclerophylla Oldenlandia sclerophylla Oldenlandia tenelliflora Oldenlandia tenelliflora Oldenlandia trinervia Oldenlandia trinervia Oldenlandia umbellata Oldenlandia umbellata Oldenlandia wauensis Oldenlandia wauensis Olympian bedstraw Galium olympicum One-flowered bedstraw Galium uniflorum Opercularia Opercularia Ophiorrhiza Ophiorrhiza 3 items Otomeria Otomeria Benth. 1 item Otomeria Otomeria 2 items Oxyanthus Oxyanthus 9 items Oxyceros Oxyceros 3 items Pachystigma Pachystigma 2 items Paederia Paederia 6 items Palicourea Palicourea 13 items Palicourea guianensis Palicourea guianensis Paraknoxia Paraknoxia 1 item Pauridiantha Pauridiantha 3 items Pavetta Pavetta 23 items Pentagonia Pentagonia 3 items Pentanisia Pentanisia 1 item Pentas Pentas Benth. 1 item Pentas Pentas 3 items Pentodon Pentodon 1 item Perama Perama 1 item Perrier Coffee Coffea perrieri Pertusadina Pertusadina 1 item Phuopsis Phuopsis Phyllis Phyllis 1 item

Madder family

The plant is native to the warmer regions of Europe, the Mediterranean, and Central Asia. In agricultural practice, it is cultivated in areas that provide long, sunny growing seasons, which are essential for the maturation of the roots and the accumulation of primary metabolites, such as alizarin and purpurin.

The plant features a four-angled stem that can reach significant lengths, covered with tiny, downward-pointing prickles. Its leaves are whorled, and it produces small, yellowish-green flowers in terminal panicles. The root system is deep-reaching, consisting of fleshy, reddish rhizomes that are harvested after 2–3 years of growth.

Cultivation requires well-drained, sandy loam soils that are rich in calcium, as the plant is sensitive to acidic environments. Proper field management involves deep tillage to allow root penetration and the maintenance of optimal soil moisture. While robust, the crop requires careful weed management during the establishment phase, as young plants compete poorly.

Common madder is primarily used in the pharmaceutical industry to support renal health and in eco-friendly textile industries for fabric dyeing. Common issues include:

  • Root rot caused by excessive soil moisture.
  • Infestations of aphids and mites during hot, dry weather.
  • Fungal leaf spots during periods of high humidity.

Success in commercial production depends heavily on the harvest timing, which should occur in late autumn to ensure maximum concentration of bioactive compounds in the root tissue.