Baptisia (Baptista)


Baptisia Plant Features

Imagine a perennial that blooms every spring for decades with a minimum of attention from you! Well that's what you get when you add baptisia, often called false indigo, to your garden. This tough-as-nails, shrub-like perennial grows 3 to 4 feet tall with pretty pea-like blue green foliage that looks good all summer long. In the spring, each plant sends up gorgeous spikes of blue, lavender, yellow, or white flowers that are attractive to bees and other pollinators. Baptisia is an American native that's heat and drought resistant. Hardy from zones 3-9.

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Baptisia Growing Instructions

Baptisia grows best in a location where it will receive at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight a day. It prefers a rich, slightly moist soil, but will grow almost as well in a poor, dry spot. This large perennial is relatively slow growing so purchase the largest plants you can find for faster results.

Baptisia breaks dormancy early in the spring so it's important to remove all the dead foliage from the plant in the fall. This will allow the new growth to pop up unhindered by the previous year's growth.

Please note: Baptisia is not intended for human or animal consumption.


  • Water

    Moist

  • Light

    Outside: Sun

  • Colors

    Blue

    Purple

    White

    Yellow

  • Special Features

    Attracts butterflies

    Attracts hummingbirds

    Super-easy to grow


Complement your Baptisia

Peony
Peonies and baptisia make a terrific team. They both bloom in the spring and have similar growth habits.


Our favorite varieties

Purple Smoke Baptisia

Purple Smoke Baptisia

Baptisia 'Purple Smoke'

This hybrid shows off spikes of soft lavender-purple flowers over gray-green foliage and purple-gray stems. It grows 3 feet tall and wide. Zones 3-9