| 
|
|
A profusion of false indigo beautifies the spring garden
One of the most stunning plants in my garden right now isn’t the last of the lilacs or even the peonies now in full bloom. While these plants have been spectacular this spring, the plant that is really showing off in my garden right now is Baptisia australis, commonly called False Indigo.
Baptisia, which the Perennial Plant Association selected as the 2010 Perennial Plant of the Year™, generally has purple blooms, ranging from a deep purple to the lighter, almost lilac color of the variety ‘Purple Smoke’, which is what I’m growing and enjoying in my garden. Occasionally, you can also find yellow-flowering hybrid Baptisia varieties, including a variety called ‘Carolina Moonlight’.
I planted my first Baptisia several years ago. As perennial plants go, it is rather large, measuring probably three feet by three feet, and serves as a distinctive focal point in any garden where it is planted. For a while I had some other plants crowding out my Baptisia, keeping it from reaching its full potential. Rather than move the Baptisia, which has a reputation for being a bit difficult to move, I cleared the space around it. For the past several years, it has responded to the extra space with outstanding blooms over several weeks.
As a perennial plant, Baptisia is fairly easy to grow in the garden. It does best when you plant it in full sun, give it some room, and let it settle in for a few years. In other words, don’t move it around all the time. Find a spot for it, plant it, and leave it alone.
Just by looking at the flowers, most people can figure out that Baptisia is a relative of the common garden peas. If you leave the blooms on the plant, pea-like seed pods will form, which add some interest later in the summer and fall. You can also cut off the spent blooms and the plant may produce a few more blooms later in the summer. The sturdy stems rarely need support.
Baptisia australis is a native plant, but as with all native plants, it should never be collected from the wild. To ensure you get a good plant for your garden, purchase a named variety at your local garden center or greenhouse..
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
