Wild Blue Indigo

Scientific name

Baptisia australis

Description

Baptisia australis, commonly known as Blue Wild Indigo or blue false indigo, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to North America. It belongs to the Fabaceae family, which includes legumes. Appearance: Height and Growth: Baptisia australis typically grows to a height of 3 to 4 feet (about 1 to 1.2 meters) tall, though it can occasionally reach up to 5 feet (about 1.5 meters). It has an upright, bushy growth habit. Foliage: The plant has attractive blue-green foliage that consists of three-parted leaves (trifoliate) which are alternately arranged along the stems. Flowers: The most striking feature of Baptisia australis is its vibrant blue flowers, which are pea-like in shape and appear in erect, terminal racemes atop sturdy stems. Each flower cluster can be around 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) long, creating a stunning display in late spring to early summer. Seed Pods: After flowering, elongated seed pods develop and turn from green to black as they mature, adding ornamental interest to the plant in late summer and fall.

Planting conditions

Blue Wild Indigo thrives in full sun to partial shade and is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, including poor, dry, or sandy soils. Once established, it is relatively drought tolerant.

Details

• Plant height:
  • Max 1.5m
• Moisture level:
  • Dry
  • Normal
  • Moist
• Light conditions:
  • Full sun
  • Partial sun
• Soil type:
  • Sandy
  • Loamy
  • Clay
• pH:
  • Normal
• Depth:
  • Wildflower
• Eco Zone:
  • 3a
  • 3b
  • 4a
  • 4b
  • 5a
  • 5b
  • 6a
  • 6b
  • 7a
  • 7b
  • 8a
  • 8b
  • 9a
• Plant type:
  • Wildflower
• Height:
  • 1m
• Spread:
  • 60-90cm