Indigo: A New Spring Favorite

  

  

Master Gardener Bonnie says, "I've never posted on the blog but I purchased this Baptisia from Dyck Arboretum 2 years ago and it is beautiful."  Bonnie sent this gorgeous picture of her blue baptisia, commonly called Blue False Indigo, the scientific name is Baptisia australis.  There are other colors for the popular indigo plant, Baptisia alba has cool white spikes. There are also Yellow Wild Indigo, Baptisia tinctoria, and B.sphaerocarpa.

The Indigo plant seems to be a native herb and grows in dry poor soil. The yellow indigo grows erect, with many branches, is leafy and grows to 2 to 3 feet. Although a perennial, it like a Peony, does not like to be divided. If you try, be sure to get down deep to get the taproot and most of the rest of any root system.  

 

Indigo is an early summer bloomer, it likes sun but can take part shade. Too much shade reduces the blooms. Indigo attracts butterflies and is a showy plant. I paired my yellow with red and dark pink knock out roses. It doesn't seem to have pest or disease problems. Has pods that are of interest later in the season but it can become scraggly looking after blooming. Trimming it back to give a more rounded appearance helps or staking it if the decorative pods are preferred. Stems with the seed pods are often used in fall dried flower arrangements.
Check out this new spring favorite but be sure to give it plenty of room and prepare the site well so it will not need to be moved. It doesn't like to be disturbed once established. Use it in borders in small groups or as a specimen plant. 

For more information, check out the website below.    An interesting note, the Cherokee used the plant for its blue dye. To read more about how native Americans and early pioneer settlers used the plant click on US Dept of Agriculture's website at www.plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_baau.pdf.   Submitted by hutchguadygardener. Photo by RCEMG Bonnie.