It is thought that woad, Isatis tinctoria, was originally native to the Caucasian steppes and farther east to the Himalayas . Now, through cultivation, it grows in Europe and even in North Africa . The Isatis genus has many subspecies, 30 alone in Turkey . It is unknown whether Isatis tinctoria itself grows in Turkey . Isatis indigotica grows throughout northern China and is used for blue-dyeing.