White False Indigo (Baptisia alba var. macrophylla)
bap-TIZ-ee-ah AL-bah variety mak-roe-FY-lah

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-Forming in the Fabaceae Family
 
Buy White False Indigo
Size Notes Price Availability
#1 gallon Field $16.31 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4

Tall perennial/shrub with white flowers in early summer. A prairie plant of classic elegance with its small graceful waxy clusters of lovely legume blossoms. Fixes nitrogen into the soil.

Baptisia alba var. macrophylla is a robust, large-leaved variety of white wild indigo, a North American native prairie perennial in the pea family. It forms an upright, shrub-like clump of blue-green, trifoliate foliage topped in late spring with tall, airy spikes of white, pea-shaped flowers. As the blooms fade they give way to inflated seed pods that darken to black and rattle in the wind, prized for dried arrangements.

This variety is also sold and described in older references under the synonyms Baptisia lactea and Baptisia leucantha -- all three names refer to the same plant.

Pros

  • Long-lived, low-maintenance native perennial once established
  • Deep taproot brings excellent drought tolerance
  • Attracts bumblebees and is a larval host for the Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly
  • Ornamental black seed pods extend interest into fall and winter

Cons

  • Slow to establish -- can take 2-3 years to reach full size and bloom
  • Deep taproot makes it difficult to transplant or divide once established
  • Tall flower spikes may need staking, especially in partial shade
Why Like

A true Midwestern prairie native valued in restoration plantings and pollinator gardens alike. Its deep taproot helps stabilize soil and reach moisture other prairie plants can't, and its flowers are an important early-season nectar source for native bumblebees.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 4 feet tall. 24 - 36 inches wide.
Growth Rate Slow
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 3a - 9b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Full Sun, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Dried Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Illinois Native, Low Maintenance, Medium, Native to North America, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Slow Growth Rate, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Winter Interest
Bloom Period May to June
Flower Color White
 

More Info from Experts
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 09/20
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!