Decadence Vanilla Cream False Indigo (Baptisia 'Vanilla Cream')
bap-TIZ-ee-ah 'Vanilla Cream'

Deciduous Perennial Compact, Mounding in the Fabaceae Family
Pastel yellow buds open to creamy vanilla flowers above gray-green foliage that emerges bronze in spring.
Baptisia 'Vanilla Cream' is a compact selection from the Decadence Series, bred by Hans A. Hansen of Walters Gardens and patented in 2015. Soft pastel yellow buds open to creamy vanilla-white flowers held on upright spikes above mounded, gray-green foliage that emerges with a bronze flush in spring. Like other false indigos, it establishes slowly but rewards patience with a long-lived, shrub-like presence in the border.

Pros

  • Soft, creamy vanilla flower color unlike any other Baptisia
  • Compact, well-behaved mounding habit
  • Long-lived once established; deer and rabbit resistant
  • Attractive gray-green foliage all season

Cons

  • Slow to establish; may take a few years to reach full size
  • Resents transplanting once roots are established
  • Foliage can flop without support in rich soil
Highlights A Decadence Series introduction prized for its soft, creamy vanilla-yellow flowers, a color unusual among false indigos. Compact and mounding, it fits smaller borders better than many wild-type Baptisia while still offering the genus's classic drought tolerance and long-lived presence once mature.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 30 - 36 inches tall. 3 - 4 feet wide.
Growth Rate Slow
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 4a - 9b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Butterflies, 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, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil
Bloom Period May To June
Flower Color Creamy vanilla
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 06/22
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.

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