Asian indigo arrived through ports in Portugal , the Netherlands , and England . Not all of Europe was thrilled with the newly abundant supply of tropical indigo. In England the use of imported indigo was prohibited by law from 1558 to 1685. While in France and Germany importation of indigo was outlawed in 1598, these prohibitions reflect the wealth and power of the woad ( Isatis tinctoria ) dye industry, an industry that eventually failed due to the import of tropical indigo. Because indigo was so valuable, many European powers established indigo plantations in their tropical colonies. Indigofera tinctora plant was imported from India to other tropical or sub-tropical destinations. British interests saw indigo become a major crop in Jamaica and South Carolina .
