False Indigo - Baptisia australis

Attracted Pollinators: Butterflies

Duration: Perennial

Size: 36-48" high; 36-38" spread

Growing Conditions:

- Light Exposure: full sun to partial shade

- Water Use: dry to moderate

- Soil: neutral pH, dry to moderate moisture, well drained, tolerant to drought and poor soil

The false indigo is native to the easternmost United States, proliferating in rich woods from Pennsylvania to Tennessee. This upright bush produces bluish-purple, lupin-like flowers along tall stems that extend upward from the rest of the foliage. These flowers have a fairly short lifespan, lasting only through the months of May and June, and ultimately producing long, thin black seed pods that rattle when ripe.