8+ Glory Baptisia Australis Blue False Indigo

This exceptional perennial grows across a wide range of zones and is one of the most adaptable native species.

Baptisia australis blue false indigo. It is in leaf from May to October in flower from July to August and the seeds ripen from August to September. Blue False Indigo Baptisia australis. Native from New YorkPennsylvania south to Texas and Georgia this three-to-four-foot high and wide perennial develops into a small shrub-like mass.

Baptisia is an easy to care for plant with moderate growth rate and no need to prune or train. Tough and durable Baptisia australis False Indigo is an upright perennial with a long season of interest. Baptisia australis False Indigo Tough and durable Baptisia australis False Indigo is an upright perennial with a long season of interest.

It is hardy to zone UK 5. Uses by indigenous people included rattles from the ripened seed pods for children and blue dye. They last for about three weeks and attract butterflies bees and hummingbirds.

Perennial Recommended Propagation Strategy. Wild Indigo a closely related species has yellow flowers but the stems yield a pale blue dye thus the name. Baptisias are easy to grow tough long-lived perennials.

Plant it in the middle of a border along with peonies and irises which bloom at the same time. 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. Short spikes of indigo-blue pea-like flowers cover dense blue green foliage.

The common name of false indigo refers to the fact that Baptisia australis and Baptisia tinctoria were used by Native Americans and European settlers to make a blue dye similar to that obtained from true indigo Indigofera tinctoria. Baptisia has long held importance as a dye for textiles. Often when first planted Baptisia has only several stems and appears sparse.