Wild Indigo Baptisia
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Wild Indigo:
- Phonetic Spelling
- bap-TEE-zee-uh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Baptisia spp. is a perennial herb with alternate, 3-parted leaves, turning black upon drying. Flowers either on long-stalked clusters above the leaves or axillary. Blooms can be white, blue, yellow, or bicolored depending on the species or cultivar and are irregular and pea-shaped.
They are known for being very tough, long-lived plants that tolerate a variety of conditions from drought, poor soil, dry soil, and erosion. They also are resistant to deer browsing and have few insect pests and diseases.
Found in: Forest or natural areas in woodland borders and open woods; landscape in flower gardens as native, herbaceous perennials
Propagation: cutting; seeds
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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B. aberrans
- 'Blonde Bombshell'
- 'Blue Towers'
- 'Carolina Moonlight'
- 'Lemon Meringue'
- ‘Lunar Eclipse’
- 'Purple Smoke'
- 'Purple Towers'
- 'Twilite Prairieblues'
B. alba
B. albescens
B. australis
B. cinerea
- 'Blonde Bombshell'
- B. aberrans, B. alba, B. albescens, B. australis, B. cinerea, 'Blonde Bombshell', 'Blue Towers', B. tinctoria, 'Carolina Moonlight', 'Cherries Jubilee' DECADENCE® SERIES, 'Lemon Meringue', ‘Lunar Eclipse’, 'Purple Smoke', 'Purple Towers', 'Twilite Prairieblues'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
-
B. aberrans
- 'Blonde Bombshell'
- 'Blue Towers'
- 'Carolina Moonlight'
- 'Lemon Meringue'
- ‘Lunar Eclipse’
- 'Purple Smoke'
- 'Purple Towers'
- 'Twilite Prairieblues'
B. alba
B. albescens
B. australis
B. cinerea
- 'Blonde Bombshell'
- B. aberrans, B. alba, B. albescens, B. australis, B. cinerea, 'Blonde Bombshell', 'Blue Towers', B. tinctoria, 'Carolina Moonlight', 'Cherries Jubilee' DECADENCE® SERIES, 'Lemon Meringue', ‘Lunar Eclipse’, 'Purple Smoke', 'Purple Towers', 'Twilite Prairieblues'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Baptisia
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- E. Canada to Central & E. U.S.A
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts bees and is a host plant for the ashgray blister beetle (adult version)
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer damage; tolerates drought, poor soils, dry soil, and erosion
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- 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)
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is an inflated, stalked pod with several seeds. The seeds inside of the pod are yellow to brown.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Irregular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Flowers either on long-stalked clusters above the leaves or axillary. Flowers, having five petals each, stand up on a raceme or spike. Blooms are white, blue, purple-blue, or yellow and can be irregular and pea-shaped.
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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:
- Alternate 3-parted leaves, turning black upon drying. Leaves are entire, green, trifoliate, and can vary in shape from elliptical to obovate. Leaves seem to be in groups of 3 at the end of a stem.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Diseases
- Drought
- 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: Symptoms: 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
