False Indigo
COMMON NAME | False Indigo |
BOTANICAL NAME * | Baptisia australis |
ZONE | 3-9 |
SIZE | 3-4’ HT, 3-4’ SP , Perennial |
FOLIAGE | Medium green all season. Bright yellow in the fall. Soft texture. |
FLOWER | Upright, purplish-blue, narrow panicles usually over 12” in length, appearing above the foliage. Quite showy. Seem to last for weeks. Attracts butterflies. Optional Shearing – After flowers are spent, can shear to create effect of nicely rounded shrub. |
FRUIT | Showy if allowed to develop, and will persist all winter. Inflated seed pods about 2” in length, blackening with age. Seeds will rattle when ripe. |
GROWING CONDITIONS | Full Sun to Part Shade. Prefers Dry to Medium, well-drained soil…though it can tolerate some wet. This plant is frequently specified for Rain Gardens. In the wild, sometimes found in colonies along streambanks. |
NOTES | Deer and Rabbit Resistant. Other varieties worth noting: Baptisia alba – White flowers on dark, almost black stems Baptisia x ‘Solar Flare’ – flowers open lemon yellow, turning soft orange. Dark stems. |