Articulata False Indigo Indigofera tinctoria
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- in-di-GAH-feh-rah tink-TOR-ee-ah
- Description
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True indigo is a perennial shrub in the bean family (Fabaceae) native to Africa, Asia, Mexico and South America. It can be an annual, perennial or evergreen depending on where it is growing. It has been used to make a blue dye in the past and is still available as a natural dye today, rather than a synthetic. The genus name comes from indigo plus Latin fero, meaning to bear. The specific epithet, derived from Latin, means 'used in dyeing'.
The plant will grow 2 to 3 feet tall and wide and does well in moist well-drained fertile soils with a pH 6 to 7. As with all plants in the bean family, it fixes nitrogen in the soil. It will tolerate full to partial sun conditions but does appreciate some afternoon shade in hot climates.
The pink or purple flowers are in short racemes in the summer and are followed by 2-inch-long legumes. The compound leaves are light green with 4 to 7 pairs of leaflets. The dye is obtained from the leaves by soaking in water and fermenting them.
True indigo can be grown for the dye or used as a cover crop or ground cover. It has escaped cultivation and tends to be weedy
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Indigofera
- Species:
- tinctoria
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used as a natural dye and medicinally.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Africa, Asia, Mexico and South America.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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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:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 2 inch long legumes follow the flowers
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Description:
- Short racemes of pink to purple 2-lipped flowers
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Compound leaves have 4 to 7 oval and opposite leaflets
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Smooth green stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Problems:
- Weedy
