Wildlife: False blue indigo supports several species of moths, butterflies, and other insects. Members of the genus Baptisia are often known as wild or false indigo due to their use by indigenous communities as a blue dye. Use for: mass plantings, accents, hedges, cut flowers, rain gardens, and pollinator gardens. RT chicagobotanic: Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis) is blooming at the Garden. Examples include: ‘Lemon Meringue’ (yellow), ‘Vanilla Cream’ (ivory), and ‘Cherries Jubilee’ (maroon), to name a few. Talabac, UMEĬultivated varieties of false blue indigo offer different flower colors and more compact forms that grow to only 2.5’-3’ tall. Native false blue indigo is a herbaceous perennial with a shrub-like growth habit. The above-ground growth of false indigo dies with the first hard freeze and can be pruned down to the ground in late fall or early spring. One of its common names, rattlebush, refers to the rattle sound made by the ornamental dried seed pods. This plant was used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes and to make a blue dye. The medium blue flowers bloom for about 2-3 weeks in May-June and are followed by pea-like green pods that turn black in the fall. In the garden, this herbaceous perennial plant grows into an attractive shrub-like form. Garden Uses: False blue indigo (Baptisia australis) is native to Maryland but now rare in its natural habitat - woodlands, streambanks, and floodplains of the Piedmont and Mountain regions. The pinnate leaves are blue-gray and look great all season long, and the dark lavender blue spires of pea-like flowers add much. Soil: sandy-rocky soil tolerates clay pH < 6.8 Native to the eastern half of the country and once known as Blue Sophora, by 1758, false indigo was comfortably settled in gardens. “Blue False Indigo: Baptisia australis.” Horticulture: University of Florida Nassau County Extension.Maryland Distribution: Mountain and Piedmont regions status is now rare/threatenedįlowers: showy blue flowers on 10”-12” long spikes in May-June insect-pollinated, primarily by bumblebeesįall color: none leaves turn black at the first fall freeze “Plant Guide: Blue Wild Indigo.” USDA NRCS, January 14, 2004. “Growing Guide Baptisia (Wild Indigo).” White Flower Farm. “Blue False Indigo, Baptisia australis.” Master Gardner Program, Division of Extension. The children would use the dried pods of the indigo plant as rattlers, with the loose seeds shaking inside of the pod (3).ġ. The Osage Native people would make washes for the eyes from the indigo plant while the Cherokee would brew it as a tea to prevent vomiting. Lastly, the Cherokee Native Americans would use the blue indigo dye for their clothes - a practice which was later passed down to the early pioneer settlers. Some people that practice witchcraft keep a leaf in their pockets for protection outside of the home (5 ). Indigo is bundled and hung off the tack of a working animal. People who engage in these practices regard this plant as especially protective for household pets (4). False Indigo is regarded as protective and is used around the home and it’s also used in spells and amulets for protective purposes. The plant is used in witchcraft practicing cultures, who associate it with femininity and Venus. Side effects of ingesting blue indigo may include vomiting, diarrhea and gastrointestinal spasms (4). Blue false indigo should only be used under the supervision of a trained professional. A formulation of the stem has been used externally as a wash to treat smallpox and other similar skin ailments. Sometimes people would chew on the root to soothe toothaches (5). Native Americans used the root of False Indigo for purging purposes as well, and was most commonly ingested as a cold tea to stop vomiting. Some ailments it is used for include ear, nose, and throat infections. Blue false indigo is thought to stimulate the immune system to purge any infections. However it has been used as an antiseptic, antiseptic, anti-catarrhal, febrifuge, and stimulant purgative. However, the plant is considered toxic and contains alkaloids that make the plant unpalatable for grazing animals (3).īlue false indigo is considered to have low levels of toxicity and is considered likely to contributing to the development of severe diarrhea and anorexia (3). It also fixes nitrogen in the soil, which makes it a great companion plant for native grasses. Additionally, blue false indigo is a plant native to Illinois, which is environmentally beneficial because it helps restore local habitats by conserving water and attracting native species. Blue wild indigo belongs to the plant family Fabaceae, also known as the pea family. The plant needs full sun to partial shade with medium to dry soil, and does not bloom well in acidic soil (1). This plant got its name because it was used as a substitute for Indigo to create dyes. It grows as shrubs or herbs to between 3-5 ft tall with spreading branches of 3-4 ft, and should therefore be planted 24-30 inches apart. False Indigo grows best between zones 3-9.
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