SCIENTIFIC NAME: Baptisia australis

COMMON NAME: Blue indigo

FAMILY: Fabaceae

TYPE: perennial

LEAVES: compound, three lobed, green-grey

FLOWER: 1" light blue to deep indigo flowers on 10-12" stalks; dark black pods develop in early summer; also white

SEASON OF BLOOM: spring

GROWTH HABIT: bush or shrub like 3'

SOIL: well-drained soil, will tolerate poor soil conditions, not wet conditions

SUN: full sun, heat and drought tolerant

HARDINESS: zones 3 to 8

UTILIZATION: dry border areas, naturalized sunny areas

DISEASES: none serious

INSECTS AND RELATED PESTS: none

PROPAGATION: seed, division in fall

MAINTENANCE: low

NOTES: Baptisia alba is the white-flowered species with similar growth habit and requirements