Alkanna

Alkanna is celebrated for its dyeing properties, thanks to the alkannin found in its roots. Alkannin, abundant in polyphenols, possesses antiseptic, wound-healing, and antibacterial qualities. The plant's root is dark red with a black exterior and a blue-red, white interior core. This root contains a superb red pigment historically used for dyeing in the Mediterranean since antiquity. Additionally, it serves to colour wines, alcoholic tinctures, vegetable oils, and varnishes. The plant's stems are prostrate and branched, coated with long white hairs.