Blue False Indigo

Baptisia australis

Blue False Indigo is an upright perennial  native with small blue-purple flowers that cover the foot-long raceme that extends above the mound of clover-like blue-green foliage in  spring.  The blooms give way to large seedpods that blacken when ripe, providing ornamental interest.  Flowers best in  full sun with acidic well-drained soils.  Drought tolerant once established.

Baptisias are excellent host plants that support several different butterfly species, including Frosted Elfin, Eastern Tailed Blue, Wild Indigo Duskywing, Clouded Sulfur, and Orange Sulfur Butterflies.  The foliage is mildly toxic to mammals if ingested.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low maintenance plant.  Gains a more shrub-like appearance after established if not pruned. Plants may grow taller in shade, which may require staking.  If need to trim back do so after bloom.  

LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings,  Borders,  Woodland Gardens,  Wildlife Gardens,  Naturalized Areas,  Native Gardens, Foundation Plantings, and Containers.

COMPANION PLANTS:  Purple Coneflower,  Autumn Goldenrod,  Butterfly Weed

IMAGES:  Jean-Pol GRANDMONT,  0 Baptisia australis (Y),  CC BY-SA 3.0, (2) Photo by  Tim Waters,  Baptisia australis (Leguminosae)

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.