Avalon Magic Plants sells Mimosa hostilis inner root bark whole, in seven sizes from 50 grams to 10 kilos, and the right size depends on what you will use it for and how much you can store dry. This guide sets the sizes side by side, from a first sample to workshop stock. It applies to adults in the Netherlands, where the bark is legal to buy; the legal checkpoint explains why we do not offer it for delivery anywhere else.
What the shop sells
According to the product page, the bark is Mimosa tenuiflora (syn. hostilis) from Brazil, sold as "whole bark (not shredded)" and described as premium inner root bark. The shop presents it as a natural dye for cotton, linen, wool, silk, leather, paper and wood, as a vegetable tanning material, and as a botanical specimen for collectors. It gives shades "ranging from soft pink to deep purple and reddish-brown", depending on the mordant and the material, and the page includes the shop's own basic dyeing steps. The shop states that the bark "is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption".
Prices on this site come straight from the shop and include VAT. The card above shows the 50 gram price; larger sizes are chosen on the product page.
From first sample to workshop stock
| Size | Fits | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| 50 g | a first look: colour, smell and structure; a specimen for a collection; a test skein | the easiest way to judge the shop's bark against the quality checklist |
| 250 g | a small dye project, or testing several mordants side by side | fits in one large jar |
| 500 g | a dyer who already knows the colours and plans a few batches | split over two jars so half stays closed |
| 1 kg | regular dyeing or tanning, a small studio | one batch means one origin and one colour for the whole stock |
| 3 kg | a studio or a course with several participants | needs a dry cupboard or a closed bin |
| 5 kg | a workshop that tans leather or dyes in bulk | store away from damp walls and floors |
| 10 kg | bulk buyers and shared orders | only worth it with dry storage for the whole quantity |
If you are new to the material, start with 50 grams. You can check it by hand, compare the colour inside with what this site describes, and decide on a larger size once you know the bark suits your project. A larger single size has one advantage over several small orders: everything comes from one shipment.
Whole bark and what to do with it at home
The shop sells whole bark only. Whole pieces keep best and show their condition. If a project calls for smaller pieces, cut them with garden shears kept for dye work, and work near an open window: bark dust gets everywhere. Tannin dyes stain hands, wooden spoons and worktops, so wear gloves and use pots that you keep for dyeing only.
Store the bark dry, dark and in closed jars, labelled with the name and date. The forms and quality checkpoint has the details.
Seeds, for the tree itself
Where the bark is not an option, the tree can be. Avalon sells seeds of the same species, and two heating mats for sowing. In a germination study, scarified seeds germinated best at 20 to 25 °C, reaching 95.6 % at 25 °C (Camargo-Ricalde and Grether 1998), which is why a warm mat helps on a cool windowsill. The tree does not tolerate frost and stays indoors or in a heated greenhouse outside the tropics. In France the plant itself is on the narcotics list, so seeds are no option there either.
Mimosa Hostilis (Jurema Preta) 10 Seeds
View in shop
Contents#5953
Avalon Heating Mat Small - 14x15 cm
View in shop
Contents#5954
Avalon Heating Mat Large - 15x28 cm
View in shop
Before you order
- Age. Avalon sells to adults only: by ordering you confirm that you are 18 or older.
- Where you are. The bark on this site is offered for a stay in the Netherlands. Do not have it delivered to a country where it is controlled or uncertain, and do not take it across a border.
- What it is for. The shop sells it as a dye material and specimen. This site gives no instructions for extracting, preparing or dosing anything.
- Safety at home. Keep the bark away from children, pets and food.
- Questions. Ask Avalon's customer service about the origin or packing date of a batch.