Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis var. minor)
bap-TIZ-ee-ah oss-TRAL-iss variety MY-nor
Deciduous Perennial Upright, Mounded in the Fabaceae Family
Buy Blue False Indigo
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Baptisia australis var. minor, dwarf blue wild indigo, is a compact variety of blue false indigo native to the southern Great Plains, from Texas and Oklahoma north into Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. It forms a tidy mound of blue-green, trifoliate foliage 1.5 to 3 feet tall and wide -- noticeably smaller and better suited to smaller gardens than the straight species -- topped in late spring with upright spikes of blue, pea-shaped flowers. Inflated seed pods follow, ripening to black.
Pros
More compact than the straight species -- fits smaller borders and rock gardens
Deep taproot brings excellent heat and drought tolerance
Low-maintenance, long-lived native perennial once established
Larval host for the Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly
Cons
Slow to establish from a young plant
Deep taproot makes it difficult to transplant or divide once established
Smaller native range (southern Great Plains) than the straight species
Why Like
A compact prairie native valued for pollinator gardens where space is limited. Like its larger relative, its deep taproot helps it access moisture other prairie plants cannot reach.
Plant Data
Mature Size
18 - 24 inches
tall. 18 - 24 inches
wide.
Growth Rate
Slow
Sun Exposure
Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance
Dry - Medium
Zones
3a - 8b
(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 Mass Planting, Low Maintenance, Medium, Native to North America, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, 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
We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
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.
Estimated Recipe Cost
The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.
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About Ordering From The Plant Club
To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.
Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!
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!