Cryptolepis yellow
A yellow dye from the roots of a West and Central African climbing shrub
No single value: Cryptolepis yellow is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, yellow.
Cryptolepis yellow is a dye made from the roots of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, a plant found in West and Central Africa. The roots produce a yellowish to orange latex, which is used to dye leather and textiles a yellow colour.
- Made from the roots of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta
- Used as a yellow dye for leather and textiles
- Native to West and Central Africa
- The latex turns red when exposed to air
What colour is Cryptolepis yellow?
Cryptolepis yellow is a natural dye obtained from the roots of the Cryptolepis sanguinolenta plant. The roots give off a yellowish to orange latex, which can turn red when exposed to air. This latex is used to dye leather and textiles a yellow shade. The plant itself is a woody climbing shrub with yellow tube-like flowers, found in savannas and forests across parts of Africa.
Where does Cryptolepis yellow come from?
The dye comes from Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, a shrub native to West and Central Africa. Its roots have long been used in the region, both for traditional medicine and as a source of yellow dye. The yellow latex from the roots is the main source of the colour.
How is Cryptolepis yellow made?
To make the dye, the roots of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta are harvested and processed. The roots contain a yellowish to orange latex, which is extracted and used for dyeing. The main chemical in the roots is cryptolepine, along with other related alkaloids.
Where Cryptolepis yellow is used
Cryptolepis yellow is mainly used as a dye for leather and textiles. The roots are traded for this purpose in West and Central Africa. The dye is valued for its natural origin and its ability to colour materials yellow.
Yellow around the world
What the yellow family means from country to country.
Yellow is the colour of the National Resistance Movement, in power since 1986. At election time its supporters wear yellow shirts and buildings are painted yellow.
Politics and protestSource: National Resistance MovementThe yellow disc of the Aboriginal flag is the sun, giver of life. The flag was designed by the Luritja artist Harold Thomas and first flown in Adelaide in 1971.
Sacred and holySource: Australian Aboriginal flagAt the gaye holud, held a day or two before a wedding, relatives rub turmeric paste on the bride and groom. Guests dress in yellow and orange.
Weddings and marriageFestival and celebrationJoySource: Gaye holudOn Pohela Falgun, the first day of spring, young women wear yellow and orange saris, a shade called basanti, with flowers in their hair.
Festival and celebrationNature and renewalJoySource: Pohela FalgunThe Flemish flag is a black lion on yellow, and the Walloon flag a red cockerel on yellow. The language communities are often shown by these colours.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of FlandersThe flag is yellow, the colour of the Sultan. By custom, ordinary people did not wear yellow in the ruler's presence.
Royalty and powerPrideSource: Flag of BruneiShades and relatives of Cryptolepis yellow
The latex from the roots can range from yellowish to orange, and it turns red when exposed to air. The exact shade may vary depending on how the dye is processed and the material being dyed.
Questions people ask about Cryptolepis yellow
What colour is Cryptolepis yellow?
Cryptolepis yellow is a yellow dye, sometimes with an orange tint, made from the roots of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta.
Where does the name Cryptolepis yellow come from?
The name comes from the plant Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, whose roots are the source of the dye.
What is Cryptolepis yellow used for?
It is used to dye leather and textiles, especially in West and Central Africa.
How is Cryptolepis yellow made?
The dye is made by extracting the yellowish to orange latex from the roots of the plant.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Cryptolepis sanguinolenta", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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