The Color Green
Plants
Plants have always have a strange allure to me. Now that I think about it, it is probably because of the vibrant green color in the leaves and stems. Green is one of the most visible and well known property of plants. It not only makes them appealing to people but also helps provide them with food through photosynthesis.
Why Green?
I was looking for article ideas, and decided to write about a color because I was inspired by Color Matters. Green seemed like the obvious choice because it's my favorite color and has always been. So whether or not you have an interest in the color green, why don't you read on for some cool facts and information about the color green.
Some Everyday Appearances of Green
Green is everywhere. But I have to say, the most common appearance is in plants. Plants are all around us! Forests, hedges, vines, farms, houseplants and more are seen almost daily by all of us. They can thank chlorophyll, the green pigment found in all plants, for their unique and pleasing color. For more information about plants and chlorophyll, see this website.
Another common place that green shows up is as a symbol for "go". This is mostly seen in stoplights, but many other indicators and lights also use green to indicate a positive message. Green makes things stand out among duller colors, but is not too vibrant like yellow or orange.
Green is one of the most popular colors for kids craft and even paper colors, competing with red, blue, and of course, white. In fact, green is so common and popular that many people mistake it for a primary color, when it is actually a secondary color, formed by mixing blue and yellow.
How to Make Green
The easiest way to form green is to mix the pigments of blue and yellow. This is the obvious way, so I won't go in depth (though there probably isn't much to go in-depth about).
Green pigments are also found naturally in certain minerals and other substances.
Here is a list of possible plants to make green dye from:
- Artemisia
- Artichokes
- Tea Tree
- Spinach (leaves)
- Sorrel (roots)
- Foxglove - (flowers)
- Lilac - (flowers)
- Camellia
- Snapdragon - (flowers)
- Black-Eyed Susans
- Grass
- Pigsweed (entire plant)
- Red Pine (needles)
- Nettle
- Broom - (stem)
- Larkspur
- Plantain Roots
- White Ash - (bark)
- Purple Milkweed - (flowers & leaves)
- Lily-of-the-valley
- Barberry root
- Red onion (skin)
- Yarrow - (flowers)
- Mulga Acacia - (seed pods)
- Peach - (leaves)
-Coneflower (flowers)
- Peppermint
- Queen Anne's Lace
- Hydrangea (flowers)
- Chamomile (leaves)
For more on green dye and materials, see Pioneer Thinking's Green Dye Page. (List retrieved from this website)
Green And The Environment
Another reference to green has popped up in the past few years. Now, conserving and preserving the environment is reffered to as "going green". This probably comes from the green pigment in plants (as mentioned earlier). After all, earth has a lot of plants on it! You can go green in many ways: recycling, adjusting your thermostat, getting insulation for your house (if you don't already), and many other ways. That's just scratching the suface though! If you want to learn more about going green, check out these hubs by eco friendly members:
