what is blueing? And what does this do grow-into a pretty plant? My daughter is a fourth grade teacher and this might be something she would like to do with her students.

Hi Rhonda,

It would crystallize. Bluing is an old time laundry additive often used up until the time they started selling detergents (which contained bluing in the detergents themselves).

Bluing was used in the laundry water when clothes were washed using soap rather than detergent. It gave the impression that whites were cleaner because it removed the yellow cast. Sometimes it was also used to "blue up" grey hair (remove the yellow) and dog show contestants even used it on white dogs to brighten the white fur! It's difficult to find in supermarkets, but you can get it here.

-- CM

Looked this up because my dad mentioned seeing it in the 30's - what does it look like and Why did they grow it? Is or was there a purpose for it?

Depression plants came about during the Great Depression, according to my Mom. They had very little to entertain kids with, and this was a wonderful thing for kids to make! Every housewife had Ammonia (which was used in the recipe that Mom had), salt, and blueing. And, of course, coal was used for heating.