Peerless Purple Baptisia Plant

This is a relatively low maintenance plant and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season.

Purple baptisia plant. Baptisia Royal Purple has proven to be a vigorous cultivar and the floral display remains one of the most stunning in the entire trial because no other Baptisia has flowers that are as deeply saturated as Royal Purple. The three-parted leaves have an alternate arrangement and turn black upon drying. Most seed strains of Baptisia australis produce large flower spikes which like a good drunk can become a bit wobbly with age.

Despite these accolades false indigo and its cultivars are still not widely popular. I find the best of the blue flowered species to be Baptisia minor. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard.

The Chicago Botanic Gardens collection includes over 60 varieties and more than 9000 individual plants. The plant is native to North America and with its deep blue blooms provides a perfect enhancement in the native perennial garden. Baptisia or false indigo is one of those resilient native plants you can count on to bloom and thrive for decades.

By late April the flowers begin to open ranging from a good blue to purple color with each seed grown plant being different. False Indigo Purple Smoke Bastard Lupine Purple Smoke False Lupine Purple Smoke Spreads by underground rhizomes and typically grows up to 4-5 ft. It is also called false or wild indigo.

There are more than 20 species within the genus. If fresh seed is unavailable how to plant Baptisia seed becomes a little more complicated. Unfortunately we have scant praise for the habit as this cultivar has consistently flopped every year of the trial.

Not only does the floral display rival the beauty of any other spring bloom but the plants are deer-resistant and require almost no maintenance. Baptisia also known as wild indigo or false indigo is a fantastic group of plants that deserves greater garden use. Combines well with most American native species and blends well with grasses for meadow gardens.