Baptisia australias, commonly known as blue false indigo, is the Perennial Plant Association’s 2010 perennial Plant of the Year™.Native to the Eastern US, this plant is a tough, adaptable, and reliable ornamental for the mixed perennial border or xeric garden.It performs best in full sun and can go quite dry once established.Mature specimens will have a compact, rounded form.Their fairly large size, 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, make them great for use as a single specimen or in small groupings.
The bright green, trifoliate leaves always look lively and fresh.The lovely flowers really are BLUE and are showiest in my USDA Zone 5b garden in late May-early June. Plant them withIris germanica, Saponariaocymoides and Papaver oriental for a beautiful, water thrifty combination.
One of my favorite features of false blue indigo is the seed pods.They are charcoal grey, 1 ½”-2” long, and rattle in the autumn wind.They may be used in floral arrangements or left on the plant for textural interest through the winter (mine have now faded to a pale, mottled brown).
I hope you will add Baptisia australis to your garden wish - list for 2010.
Baptisia australis is one of the first plants I grew as a serious gardener. I still have remnants of the mothership in my front garden. It's a great plant if you have the room for it and a diligent about the seedlings. Love it.
Oh, good to know about the seedlings. My plant is about 15 years old and I've never had a seedling! Odd how some things are invasive in certain regions but not others...
Baptisia 'Purple Smoke' has had a place in my garden for several years now. I sure wish it would seed around, but no such luck. There are some interesting new acid-yellow varieties I may explore.
Baptisia 
I hope you will add Baptisia australis to your garden wish - list for 2010.
4 comments:
Baptisia australis is one of the first plants I grew as a serious gardener. I still have remnants of the mothership in my front garden. It's a great plant if you have the room for it and a diligent about the seedlings. Love it.
Oh, good to know about the seedlings. My plant is about 15 years old and I've never had a seedling! Odd how some things are invasive in certain regions but not others...
Baptisia 'Purple Smoke' has had a place in my garden for several years now. I sure wish it would seed around, but no such luck. There are some interesting new acid-yellow varieties I may explore.
I know that there are several different hues of blue Baptisia available and also a white form. But yellow? I'll start looking for it!
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