Baptisia australis

Growing from 3 to 5 feet tall, this herbaceous perennial is a spring highlight.

leaves have a smooth margin and are alternate and divided into three leaflets. Showy, blue to violet racemes mature in late spring and continue into early summer. The herb produces a thick, erect pod with a long curved beak.

Where to Plant: It grows best in full sun to part shade but tends to get a little floppy when it doesn’t get a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight. It forms tall clumps which are especially attractive planted next to wooden fences. The bright, indigo blue flowers are attractive when combined with yellow or white flowering perennials. 

Found in: Forest or natural areas in woodland borders and open woods; landscape in flower gardens as native, herbaceous perennials

Another plant option: B. tinctoria, a yellow-flowered species of Baptisia, is also native to the eastern USA and grows well in warm, sunny gardens.

Fire Risk: This plant has a medium flammability rating. 

Seasons of Interest: 

  Blooms: Spring             Nut/Fruit/Seed:  Late summer

Pruning Tips: If you desire the plant to have a round appearance, would prefer to not add support to the plant, and do not mind not having the seed pods develop, then after the flowers bloom (but before the seed pods come), you could prune the leaves.

Propagation Tips: Seed sown when fresh in mid-summer: seeds may not grow into a flowering plant until years later though. The best way to propagate this plant is to collect seeds in late summer as soon as they mature and sow them directly where you want them to grow. Cuttings taken in April or May will also root fairly easily if they are taken while the growth is still soft.  

Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems:  As far as major diseases and insects’ problems are concerned, this plant does not have those issues.

At times, if plants get tall in partial shade, a support may be helpful for the plant.

More information on Baptisia.