Baptisia Solar Flare (Baptisia 'Solar Flare')
bap-TIZ-ee-ah 'Solar Flare'

Deciduous Perennial Upright in the Fabaceae Family
A Prairieblues false indigo from the Chicago Botanic Garden with a two-toned floral display -- lemony yellow spikes that gradually age to a bronzy orange over their two-to-three-week bloom.

Baptisia 'Solar Flare' is a Prairieblues series false indigo bred by Dr. Jim Ault at the Chicago Botanic Garden, selected in 2004 from a cross likely involving [B. tinctoria x B. alba] x B. australis, with a pollen parent unknown but suspected to be B. sphaerocarpa. Purplish stems emerge in spring and carry flower spikes that open a lemony yellow and gradually fade to a bronzy orange, giving each spike a two-toned look over its two-to-three-week bloom in early to mid-June. Medium green foliage and strong, storm-resistant stems hold up well through the season without staking.

Pros

  • Distinctive two-toned yellow-to-bronze flower spikes
  • Strong, storm-resistant stems that don't need staking
  • Drought tolerant once established
  • Attracts butterflies and other pollinators

Cons

  • Slow to establish and resents transplanting once its deep taproot forms
  • Bloom period is relatively brief at two to three weeks
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 5 feet tall. 3 - 5 feet wide.
Growth Rate Slow
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Wet
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, Wet
Bloom Period Early To Mid-June
Flower Color Medium Yellow, Aging To Bronzy-Orange
 

More Info from Experts

Photos of This with...

Baptisia Solar Flare, Orange New Zealand Sage, Echibeckia 'Summerina Brown', Accent Daffodil
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/13 - 10/04
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!