False Indigo Amorpha fruticosa
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called False Indigo:
- Phonetic Spelling
- ah-MOR-fah froo-tih-KOH-sah
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
-
This plant is typically found growing as a native in moist open woodlands, roadsides, canyons, floodplains, gravel bars, stream and pond banks, and along swamps edges. It spreads easily by seeds and suckers, becoming somewhat invasive. Its growing traits will create a situation where the spread will be greater than its height.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Typically has no serious disease or insect issues. Leaf spot, powdery mildew, rust, and twig canker are diseases that may have some effect on the plants' overall health.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Albiflora'
White flowers - 'Coerulea'
Pale blue flowers - 'Crispa'
Leaflets crinkled - 'Dark Lance'
Rich green globular plant with pruple flowers that subtend golden brown filaments. - 'Lewisii'
Large flowers - 'Pendula'
Arching branches form a dome shape
- 'Albiflora'
- 'Albiflora', 'Coerulea', 'Crispa', 'Dark Lance', 'Lewisii', 'Pendula'
- Tags:










- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Albiflora'
White flowers - 'Coerulea'
Pale blue flowers - 'Crispa'
Leaflets crinkled - 'Dark Lance'
Rich green globular plant with pruple flowers that subtend golden brown filaments. - 'Lewisii'
Large flowers - 'Pendula'
Arching branches form a dome shape
- 'Albiflora'
- 'Albiflora', 'Coerulea', 'Crispa', 'Dark Lance', 'Lewisii', 'Pendula'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Amorpha
- Species:
- fruticosa
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southern United States
- Distribution:
- AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV, WY
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract butterflies, nectar-bees, and nectar insects. Foliage browsed by small mammals.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Easy to Grow
- Fragrance
- Textural
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- poor and dry soil, tolerate poor site conditions
- Edibility:
- Not edible
- Dimensions:
- Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Horizontal
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
-
-
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)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Small, warty, kidney-shaped seed pods
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Size:
- 3-6 inches
- Flower Description:
- This plant has narrow, 8 to 20 in. racemes of dense, clusters of deep purple or blue flowers with gold stamens in summer. Each flower has a single petal. The blooming period is 2-3 weeks.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Velvety
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves dull gray-green. Each contains 11 to 35 spiny-tipped leaflets with toothless margins. The leaflets are elliptic to oval in shape. They turn a modest yellow in the fall (fall color). The underside of the leaves has a velvety feel.
-
-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Lenticels
- Bark Description:
- Relatively smooth, scattered lenticels.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Multi-stemmed. The lower stems are woody. Upper stems are dull green.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Riparian
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Border
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Dry Soil
- Poor Soil
- Problems:
- Invasive Species