Silver Dollar Eucalyptus for Natural Dyeing and Eco Printing

One of the most exciting parts of natural dyeing and eco printing is discovering plants around you that can create beautiful color.

Sometimes the most incredible dye plants are already growing in parks, gardens, or even along the street.

In this new series here on La Creative Mama, I’m sharing plants that dye and print fabric, yarn, and paper so that you can easily identify them in your area.

Today, we’re starting with one of my favorites: The silver dollar eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea).

This beautiful tree produces round, silvery leaves that are not only visually striking but also incredibly powerful for natural dyeing and eco printing.

Once you learn to recognize it, you’ll start seeing it everywhere.

And when you do, you’ll realize you might be walking right past one of the best natural dye sources available.

Watch the full video here, I am showing you the actual leaves and then we will go to my studio to check out some color and print samples!

What Is Silver Dollar Eucalyptus?

The silver dollar tree (Eucalyptus cinerea) is a species of eucalyptus known for its round, silvery-blue leaves that often grow in pairs along the stem.

These distinctive leaves are easy to identify and are commonly used in floral arrangements because of their beautiful shape and scent.

But for natural dyers and eco printers, they offer something even more exciting:

Color and prints.

The leaves are rich in tannins and natural pigments that can produce warm tones ranging from yellow to orange and red, depending on the fiber and modifiers used.

That means a single plant can create a wide range of natural colors.

Why Silver Dollar Leaves Are Perfect for Natural Dyeing

There are many reasons why silver dollar eucalyptus is such a fantastic plant to work with.

1. It produces beautiful natural color

When used in a dye bath, eucalyptus cinerea leaves can produce stunning orange or red-orange shades on fibers like wool or silk.

The exact shade will vary depending on:

• The fiber type
  
• The mordant used
  
• The length of time in the dye bath
  

2. The leaves are rich in tannins

Because eucalyptus leaves contain natural tannins, they can often dye protein fibers without a mordant.

This makes them a wonderful plant for beginners exploring natural dyeing with plants.

3. The leaves create gorgeous eco prints

When bundled and steamed on fabric, eucalyptus leaves produce detailed leaf prints that show the shape and veins of the leaf.

These prints often appear as:

• Orange
  
• Rust
  
• Brown
  
• Red tones
  

The effect is incredibly beautiful and one of the reasons eucalyptus is widely used in eco printing on fabric.

Check out the type of prints that are possible by using these leaves in the photo below.

Fresh vs Dry Leaves: Which Works Best?

One of the wonderful things about eucalyptus is that both fresh and dry leaves work well.

Fresh leaves are often used directly from the tree.

But dried leaves can also produce excellent dye results.

This means you can:

• Collect leaves after storms
  
• Gather fallen branches
  
• Save leaves for later projects
  

Many natural dyers even store eucalyptus leaves for future dye sessions because they maintain their color potential for a long time.

What Color Does Silver Dollar Eucalyptus Produce?

When you dye fabric or yarn with eucalyptus cinerea leaves, you will usually see a warm orange color develop.

The photo below shows wool yarn (orange) dyed with silver dollar leaves and the yellow fabrics on the right have been dyed with eucalyptus globulus which is a different variety.

But the magic happens when you start modifying the color.

Using different mordants and modifiers can shift the color dramatically. Check out the video above to see the examples first hand!

The main changes happen when you play with mordants, you can use ferrous sulphate as a mordant, as a post dye bath.

These changes happen because the tannins and flavonoids in the leaves react differently with each metal salt.

This is one of the reasons natural dyeing feels so creative — the same leaf can produce many colors.

Eco Printing With Silver Dollar Leaves

Silver dollar eucalyptus is also one of the best plants for eco printing on fabric.

The round leaves create bold prints that clearly show the leaf shape.

You can use them on many surfaces, including:

• Silk
  
• Wool
  
• Cotton
  
• Linen
  
• Paper
  

The process involves:

1. Placing leaves on fabric
   
2. Rolling or bundling the fabric
   
3. Steaming or simmering the bundle
   
4. Allowing the pigment to transfer to the fibers
   

Protein fibers like silk and wool tend to produce the most vibrant prints.

Cotton can also work beautifully, especially when prepared with mordants or iron blankets.

Creative Ways to Use Eucalyptus Prints

Once you start creating color and prints with eucalyptus leaves, the possibilities are endless.

You can use naturally dyed or eco printed fabrics for:

• Sewing garments
  
• Visible mending projects
  
• Patchwork and quilting
  
• Upcycled clothing
  
• Scarves and accessories
  
• Textile artwork
  
• Paper crafts and journals

Many of my students also use these fabrics for sustainable sewing projects, turning naturally dyed textiles into beautiful handmade clothing.

The photos above show different garments which have been upcycled using silver dollar leaves which were eco printed in different ways!

I love this merino top which has been printed with silver dollar, cosmos flowers and madder roots.

Download My Free Natural Dye Plant Guide

If you enjoy discovering plants that dye and print fabric, yarn, and paper, I created a free Natural Dyes Guide for you.

Inside the guide you’ll find:

• A list of plants that produce natural color
  
• Examples of eco prints and natural dye results
  
• Creative ideas for using dyed fabrics and yarn
  

It’s a wonderful reference to keep in your studio or print for your dye notebook.