Baptisia Australis

If you've ever been lucky enough to drive through the prairies in the American Mid-West at peak wildflower bloom, then you need no introduction to this beautiful native flower. Pea flower-like blooms in vibrant, true indigo blue, open in succession along tall flower spikes in early spring.

Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australi) is such a standout that people have brought it far and wide from its native fields and you can find it happily growing in town squares and neighborhood front yards all over the country.

Blue False Indigo is a bushy perennial with vibrant blue-green leaves. Growing 3-4’ tall, these herbaceous perennials fill out an impressive area each year and die back to the ground each winter. Emerging anew each spring from the root system and shrugging of the most brutal winters.

Once the flowers have faded, intriguing seed pods take their place. Blue False Indigo seeds roll freely in the pods and generations of kids have pulled them off and used them as toys since they sound like a rattle when they're shaken.

How to Use Blue False Indigo In The Landscape

A version of the hardy native American wildflower Blue Wild Indigo, this has all the same resilient qualities! This prairie plant will quickly grow to fill bare spots in your perennial border each year, but its blue spikes of flowers are what make False Blue Indigo such a striking star amid other spring plantings.

A fantastic addition to Pollinator and Native plantings, these sizeable perennials call a host of pollinators each spring. Cottage and Perennial gardens gain a tall and broad accent and that unusual blue hue brings sublime coloration to any landscape!

Anchor garden beds and soften corners throughout the growing season, plus the blue-green foliage lends a fantastic backdrop for later emerging perennials and roses. Plant as a spring specimen or in small groupings for a focal point planting.

Thriving in tough conditions, Baptisia are hardy natives that shrug off poor soil and drier conditions once they’re established. Plant in out-of-the-way locations, along hot sunny foundations and in native plant gardens, without worry the deer will eat them up.

#ProPlantTips For Care

Grow this plant in both full sun and partial shade, these vibrant plants are hardy in USDA growing zones 3 through 9. Very cold tolerant, these shine throughout the hottest summers, where they appreciate afternoon shade for protection from the summer sun.

Tolerating a wide range of soil types, these natives are hardy and adaptable to any conditions except wet, soggy soil. Provide Baptisia with well-drained soil with moderate moisture for best results. While very drought tolerant once established, be sure to provide supplemental water during the crucial establishment period and during times of extreme need.

Blue False Indigo is a truly hardy native that will come back strong for you each year, getting bigger and more beautiful as time passes. It is long-lived, providing years of enjoyment for your landscape with its impressive spikes of vivid, blue flowers and attractive seeds.