Blue false indigo baptisia australis full#
Blue false indigo baptisia australis license#

If seed is saved for later sowing, stratify (chill) the seeds in the refrigerator for 6 to 12 weeks. Fresh seed usually germinates within 2 weeks. Seed that is sown fresh will germinate most reliably and can be sown directly into flats or an outside nursery bed. Inspect seed for small holes made by weevils and discard damaged seeds. Collect seed when the pods darken and begin to split. Seed is the usual method of starting new Baptisia plants. It is best to allow space for the ultimate size of these plants when planting and then leave them in place. Wait to cut back old foliage in late winter or early spring to enjoy fall and winter effects, or cut in fall after frost if old foliage appearance is undesirable.īaptisias are very difficult to transplant due to their deep, brittle root systems. If you do not enjoy the seed pod appearance, trim the old bloom spikes back after flowering. Baptisias grow wild in partly shaded locations, but are never as showy as those grown in sun. However, in shade they may grow leggy and bloom less profusely.

Blue false indigo baptisia australis full#

Full sun is preferred, but baptisias will tolerate light shade. Once established, however, they are quite drought tolerant, due to their very deep root system. Most baptisias prefer and grow best in deep, rich, moist but well-drained soil. They combine attractively with most blue-, white- or yellow-flowering perennials.īaptisias are host plants for the larvae of several butterfly species, including orange sulphur, clouded sulphur, frosted elfin, eastern tailed blue, hoary edge, and wild indigo duskywing. Their shape and foliage color contrasts well with upright ornamental grasses. Baptisias are appropriate in traditional cottage gardens, native plant gardens, and contemporary gardens. They work well as individual specimens in small gardens or as masses in larger areas.

Blue false indigo baptisia australis license#

Photo by Urtica, Flickr Creative Commons License 2.0 Landscape Useīaptisias can be used as seasonal, herbaceous shrubs in borders. Some find this attractive and let the stems remain for winter interest, while others prefer to cut them back in fall.Īlthough the leaves die back to the ground completely each winter, Baptisia foliage is dense and attractive, giving the plant a shrub-like appearance that provides a strong backdrop to the garden. Baptisia leaves vary in color from blue-green to bright yellow-green to soft, felted gray-green. Leaflet shapes vary from slender oblong to almost rounded oval. Baptisia flowers strongly resemble ornamental lupines, perennials that do not tolerate heat and humidity.īaptisia leaves are trifoliate (composed of three leaflets) and are arranged alternately along the stems. Large, mature plants may hold as many as a hundred spikes in full bloom.

Flower spikes can be 12 to 24 inches tall, composed of typical pea-shaped flowers. Bloom typically lasts between 3 and 6 weeks.įlowers are held in impressive upright racemes (flower spikes with a short stem attaching each flower to the main stalk) of blue, white or yellow flowers. Most Baptisia bloom in March, April or early May, but it varies depending on species, region and weather. Photo by Inspiration Point Studio, Flickr, Creative Commons License 2.0 Baptisias are unusually long- lived perennials and can continue to grow and bloom in the same location for decades. They may not bloom until their second or third season from seedlings. Growth Rateīaptisias will grow to their full height each year after the first or second season from planting, and thereafter will grow steadily in width and bulk. A few species grow no more than 1 to 2 feet tall. australis, grow 3 to 4 feet tall by 3 to 4 feet wide in cultivation. They are excellent, attractive, low-maintenance plants. As a group, these perennials are deer resistant, heat and humidity tolerant, and drought tolerant once established.

Baptisias have a very wide, natural range to which they seem well adapted. Several are native to South Carolina, and all baptisias can be grown throughout the state.

There are around 20 species of Baptisia, all native to eastern or midwestern North America. Blue false indigo ( Baptisia australis) and yellow wild indigo ( Baptisia tinctoria) were used to produce a blue dye by both Native Americans and settlers before the introduction of the better quality true indigo ( Indigofera tinctoria). The botanical name Baptisia originates from the Greek word bapto, to dip or to dye. They provide an extended season of interest from flowers and foliage. Photo by Tim Waters, Flickr, Creative Commons License 2.0īaptisias, also known as false or wild indigos ( Baptisia spp.), are a group of large, long-lived perennials. Baptisia australis (blue false indigo) in bloom shows the appeal of these plants.