Baptisia australis (False Indigo) Unity Grown

Baptisia australis, also called false blue indigo, is a native perennial wildflower that produces showy blue-purple pea-like flowers in the late spring and early summer; with a dense, arching growth behavior, mature false indigo can resemble a small shrub more than it does a perennial. False indigo can grow to 2-4' tall and about as wide, and can tolerate a variety of soils, including clay, as well as drought, harsh sun, and alkaline soils.

In spring, false indigo's small blue flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinator; in late summer, pollinated flowers give way to persistent, attractive, seed pods in shades of glossy, dark chocolate brown. Seed pods last through the fall and winter, and act as a late food source for a number of birds species. With the ecological appeal and shrubby ornamental appeal of Baptisia australis, it is an excellent addition to a variety of garden types in a variety of seasons.

Baptisia australis is noted as globally threatened, and marked as S2 or State Rare in Maryland, so by planting false indigo around your home, you're helping to support pollinator species that rely on Baptisia australis to live.

Our Baptisia australis plugs and containers are grown from seed here at Unity Church Hill Nursery.