Baptisia australis – Blue False Indigo

An upright perennial with flower spikes to 12″ tall with showy, erect, purple, lupine-like flowers.

Blooms in late spring and early summer. Seed pods were once popularly used by children as rattles. Dried stems with seed pods have been used in flower arrangements.

Name is given for its use as a dye, inferior to the true indigo; Bapto (from the genus Baptisia) means ‘to dye’

No serious insect or disease problems.

Easily grown, best in full sun. Tolerates drought and poor soils. Plants slowly expand in a clump. Deep and extensive root systems are good for soil stability, but make the plant extremely difficult to relocate once established.