Baptisia alba
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- bap-TEE-sha AL-ba
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Wild white indigo is a herbaceous perennial plant in the pea family (Fabaceae) native to eastern and central United States. Baptisia means “to dye,” referring to some species in this genus being used as a dye. The species name alba means “white,” referring to the white flowers.
This large clump-forming long-lived plant will grow 2-6 feet and up to 4 feet wide. It does not transplant well due to deep roots so choose your sites well. It prefers full sun to light shade in acidic sandy or rocky soil but will tolerate clay soil. It may take young plants up to 3 years to produce flowers. They can be propagated by seed, stem or root cuttings. As with all plants in the pea family, this plant will fix nitrogen in the soil.
In spring purple stems appear above the blue-gray foliage with up to 18 inches long spikes of white to cream-colored pea-shaped flowers. They are followed by 1-2 inch seed puffy seed pods that ripen from green to black. The trifoliate foliage stays attractive all season long and turns nearly black in fall. In winter the stems will break off and be blown like tumbleweed if not pruned.
Use this plant in the back of the border, as a specimen, in a rain garden, a pollinator/native garden or in naturalized areas.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Mark Weathington, Director of JC Raulston Arboretum
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Baptisia
- Species:
- alba
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South Eastern U.S.A
- Wildlife Value:
- Its flowers are attractive to butterflies and bumble bees. This plant is a larval host plant for Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco) and Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae).
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer damage; tolerates drought, poor soils, dry soil, and erosion
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The pod is 1.75-inch long and is green maturing to black. They contain many seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Dried
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Irregular
- Lipped
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The flowers appear in clusters on 12-18 inch stems and are pea-shaped flowers in white to cream colors. Blooms in spring May to June
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The trifoliate compound leaves are blue-green to gray-green in color. Each leaflet is pointed at each end and is ovate to oblanceolate in shape. They are up to 2 inches long and 3/4 inches wide.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Blue
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- The central and side stems are smooth, round and green to purple in color
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Diseases
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Erosion
- Insect Pests
- Poor Soil
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- THIS PLANT CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. Poisonous through ingestion. All parts are poisonous. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Baptisin and cytisine
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
