Baptisia australis | blue false indigo

There are so many varieties of Baptista on the market these days - we love them all but have a hard time deciding between them so we simply grow the original.

B. australis is a tough long-lived, low maintenance shrubby perennial. Beautiful rounded glaucous foliage is smothered in hundreds of purple-blue pea-like blossoms in late spring. Dried rattling seed pods lend ornament to the winter garden.

Distinctions: Winner of an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticulture Society; Selected as Perennial Plant of the Year from the Perennial Plant Association.

Growing note: Baptisia take a number of years to reach their full potential. It is worth the wait! They are long lived, healthy pants once established. Do not attempt to move them. They have extensive root systems that will not thank you. They are also difficult to grow from seed. The best thing to do is to just give them time and allow them to spread on their own.

Zones: 3 to 9
Family: Fabaceae
Type: Perennial
Height: 36 to 48 in.
Spread: 36 to 48 in.
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Conditions: Dry, well-drained, average
Bloom Time: June to August
Bloom Color: Lilac-blue
Native Range: eastern North America