Blue Wild Indigo

Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis) is a bushy long-lived perennial, with blue-green foliage and clusters of deep blue flowers on long upright spikes that bloom in midsummer. Given its bush-like structure it serves as an excellent backdrop in perennial boarders. The dried stems with clusters of black seed pods are often used in dried floral arrangements. It benefits pollinators and Hummingbirds, is a host plant for the Wild Indigo Duskywing and is deer resistant.

While it takes a few years to reach its full size, the blooms and resulting seed pods increase with each season. The plant grows best well-drained soil and thrives in full sun to partial shade, requiring only minimal water during drought periods. Given its deep taproot, it does not transplant well once established, though it can be dug and divided when the plant is dormant.

Blue Wild Indigo is found throughout central and eastern North America and grows naturally is open prairies, the edges of woods and along streams and was used by both Native Americans and European settlers as a source of blue dye.

The name "blue false indigo" originates from the plant being used as a substitute for Indigofera tinctoria as a dye. Other common names for this plant are blue false indigo, indigo weed, rattleweed and rattlebush.