False Blue Indigo

Baptisia australis

False Blue indigo is a member of the pea family and has a similar soft green foliage. Tall spikes rise with soft blue to deep blue-purple pea-like flowers that bloom from bottom up. False Blue Indigo is a favourite for delicate colour and structure in the garden.

False Blue Indigo spends it’s first couple years focusing on root development and can have some floppy stems during this time. Once mature, this Indigo can take on a more shrub-like appearance and stems will keep more upright. It also has a deep tap root, making it difficult to move once established, so choose it’s home wisely.

VASCAN has listed Baptisia australis as introduced, however due to is north-eastern native range in the US it is often considered a near native to the southern part of Ontario due to the shared border and therefore used in conservation efforts by ecological gardeners.