False Indigo, Indigo Spires

Baptisia 'Indigo Spires'

Height: 40-48in
Spread: 36-40in
Zone: 4-9
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Bloom Time/Color: May-June; purple/yellow
Uses: Specimen, massing, prairies
Maintenance: Low
Other: Rabbit resistant, cut flower

False indigo is one of the best blue flowers for Iowa landscapes and does extremely well in most soil conditions. Trifoliate, blue-green clover-like foliage is seen throughout the growing season and in spring, 'Indigo Spires' is covered in tall, slender towers of dark purple pea-like flowers with yellow keels. Seed pods mature to a charcoal-black and add great texture to the landscape and to dried flower arangements. 'Indigo Spires' was also selected for its extended bloom period, often producing smaller secondary flowers. False indigo grows best in average, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade but can tolerate poor, chalky, and droughty soils too. No major insect/disease issues.

Baptisia australis is an Iowa native.