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Eastern Prairie Blue Wild Indigo Baptisia aberrans

Other Common Name(s):

Previously known as:

  • Baptisia australis var. aberrans
Phonetic Spelling
bap-TEE-zee-uh AB-ber-ranz
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Eastern Prairie Blue Wild Indigo is an erect, native, herbaceous perennial wildflower in the Fabaceae (bean) family. The name is derived from Greek baptisis, which means to dip or immerse. It is typically found in glades, barrens, and open woodlands over limestone (or other calcareous rocks) and diabase (or other mafic rocks), in areas that were formerly prairies, barrens, glades, or oak savannas. The plant is classified as an endangered species in North Carolina.

Eastern Prairie Blue Wild Indigo grows best in partial shade to full sun in moist, sometimes dry, soil. It is a tough, long-lived plant that tolerates a variety of conditions from drought, poor soil, and dry soil to erosion. The plant has a deep taproot which makes it drought tolerant, but also makes it difficult to transplant. It can be propagated by cuttings or seeds. Once the plant has gone to seed, it dries and turns silvery-gray, breaks off near the ground, and tumbles across the landscape, shedding pods and seeds as it goes. The attractive lavender blue flowers appear in the spring and contrast nicely against the light green leaves. The fruit is a black, inflated, stalked pod with several seeds.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No significant problems. 

 

VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Mark Weathington, Director of JC Raulston Arboretum 

More information on Baptisia.

Profile Video:
See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#full sun tolerant#drought tolerant#native perennial#tough plant#erosion control#disease resistant#endangered#NC native#pest resistant#deer resistant#pollinator plant#poor soils tolerant#larval host plant#food source summer#food source herbage#food source nectar#food source pollen#dry soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#Piedmont Mountains FACU#Coastal FACU#partial shade tolerant#Audubon#perennial#long lived
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#full sun tolerant#drought tolerant#native perennial#tough plant#erosion control#disease resistant#endangered#NC native#pest resistant#deer resistant#pollinator plant#poor soils tolerant#larval host plant#food source summer#food source herbage#food source nectar#food source pollen#dry soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#Piedmont Mountains FACU#Coastal FACU#partial shade tolerant#Audubon#perennial#long lived
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Baptisia
    Species:
    aberrans
    Family:
    Fabaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Root Cutting
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southeastern United States.
    Distribution:
    Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia
    Wildlife Value:
    Attracts bees. This is a larval host plant for butterflies like Wild Indigo Dustywing.
    Play Value:
    Wildlife Food Source
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Deer damage; tolerates drought, poor soils, dry soil, and erosion
    Edibility:
    Low toxicity from ingestion.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Native Plant
    Perennial
    Poisonous
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • 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
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Piedmont
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Green
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Legume
    Fruit Description:
    Inflated, stalked bean pod with several seeds. The seeds inside of the pod are yellow to brown. Fruits display from June to August.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Purple/Lavender
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Raceme
    Spike
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Shape:
    Irregular
    Lipped
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    fused petals
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Small lavender-blue flowers stand up on a raceme or spike, bloom from April to May.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Obovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    Leaves are entire, green, trifoliate, and appear in groups of 3 at the end of a stem. Three-parted leaves turn black upon drying.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Smooth (glabrous)
    Stem Description:
    stems are smooth and often waxy, pale green
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Pollinators
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Diseases
    Drought
    Dry Soil
    Erosion
    Insect Pests
    Poor Soil
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    Causes low toxicity if eaten. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. All parts are poisonous.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Baptisin and cytisine
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Bark
    Flowers
    Fruits
    Leaves
    Roots
    Sap/Juice
    Seeds
    Stems