Plant: Lupin Indigo - Blue False Indigo
Blue False Indigo · Baptisia australis
Size: 1 gal
Light
Bloom
More about this plant
Blue false indigo is a long-lived native perennial 3 to 4 feet tall that carries spikes of blue pea-like flowers in late spring over blue-green clover-like foliage, followed by black seed pods prized in dried arrangements. It takes full sun to part shade, tolerates drought, poor soil and clay, and is highly deer resistant. It is a larval host for several sulphur and duskywing butterflies.
- Full Sun
- Blooms in spring, summer
- Hardy in USDA zones 3-9
Plant description
Blue false indigo is a long-lived native perennial 3 to 4 feet tall that carries spikes of blue pea-like flowers in late spring over blue-green clover-like foliage, followed by black seed pods prized in dried arrangements. It takes full sun to part shade, tolerates drought, poor soil and clay, and is highly deer resistant. It is a larval host for several sulphur and duskywing butterflies.
- Flowers
- Blue pea-like flowers about three quarters of an inch across on upright spikes in late spring.
- Foliage
- Blue-green, clover-like trifoliate leaves with smooth entire leaflets up to about 2 inches long.
- Fruit
- Inflated black seed pods, valued in dried arrangements.
- Native range
- Central and eastern United States, Pennsylvania south to North Carolina and Tennessee
