Eastern Prairie Blue Wild Indigo
Baptisia aberrans (bap-TEE-zee-uh AB-ber-ranz)
Eastern Prairie Blue Wild Indigo is an erect , native, herbaceous perennial wildflower in the bean family (Fabaceae). It is typically found in glades, barrens, and open woodlands over limestone (or other calcareous rocks) and diabase (or other mafic rocks), in areas that were formerly prairies, barrens, glades, or oak savannas. The plant is classified as an endangered species in North Carolina. The species epithet is Latin for "aberrant, deviating from the normal," so named because it was originally believed to be a variety of B. minor that deviated from "typical" B. minor morphology. Eastern Prairie Blue Wild Indigo grows 3 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide in partial shade to full sun in moist, sometimes dry, soil. It is a tough, long-lived plant that tolerates various conditions from drought, poor soil, and dry soil to erosion. The plant has a deep taproot, which makes it drought-tolerant but difficult to transplant. It can be propagated by cuttings or seeds. Once the plant has gone to seed, it dries and turns silvery-gray, breaks off near the ground, and tumbles across the landscape, shedding pods and seeds as it goes. The attractive lavender-blue flowers appear in the spring and contrast nicely against the light green leaves. The fruit is a black, inflated, stalked pod with several seeds. Use this plant in pollinator, drought-tolerant and native gardens as a specimen or in the back of the border. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Mark Weathington , Director of JC Raulston Arboretum More information on Baptisia .
Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 59 attributes.