False Indigo Baptisia albescens
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called False Indigo:
- Phonetic Spelling
- bap-TEE-zee-uh al-BES-enz
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Baptisia albescens, or False Indigo, is an erect, native, herbaceous perennial in the Fabaceae (bean) family. The name is derived from Greek baptisis, which means to dip or immerse. Its native habitat is woodland borders and open woods and is often found in dry woodlands, pine flatwoods, and roadsides. This plant was selected as the 2011 NC Wildflower of the Year, a program managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with some financial support from the Garden Club of North Carolina.
False Indigo is one of the smaller and bushier species of Baptisia and grows best in partial shade to full sun. It is known for being a tough, long-lived plant that tolerates a variety of conditions from drought, poor soil, dry soil, and erosion. False indigo may be propagated by cuttings or seeds. The plant has a deep taproot which makes it drought tolerant, but also difficult to transplant. The attractive white flowers that appear in the spring contrast nicely against light green leaves. The fruit is a yellowish brown, inflated, stalked pod with several seeds. Include False Indigo in a drought-tolerant garden, a native garden, or a pollinator garden.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect pests.
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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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Baptisia
- Species:
- albescens
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern United States
- Distribution:
- Virginia south to Florida, Tennessee, Alabama
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant is a larval host for butterflies. It also attracts pollinators.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer damage; tolerates drought, poor soils, dry soil, and erosion
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
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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
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Description:
- The fruits are unlike other Baptisia species being cylindric, about 3 times as long as the diameter, and yellowish-brown (rather than black) when mature. Puffy bean pod. Fruits display from July to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Irregular
- Lipped
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The flowers have four to five petals each and stand up on a raceme or spike. White flowers bloom from May to July.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- The three-parted leaves have an alternate arrangement and turn black upon drying.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Diseases
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Erosion
- Insect Pests
- Poor Soil
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Causes low toxicity if eaten. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, 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
