Baptisia alba

Common Names

White False Indigo, White Wild Indigo, False Indigo, Wild Indigo, White Baptisia

Summary

Baptisia alba, White False Indigo, is a native perennial legume of prairies and open woods in eastern to central North America. It forms tall, clump-forming plants 2-5 ft tall with deep taproots and bluish-green, trifoliate leaves, bearing long spikes of white pea-like flowers in late spring to early summer, followed by green seed pods that darken to black. It is drought-tolerant once established and prefers full sun to part shade with well-drained soils, tolerating poor soils; plants are slow to establish and transplanting is difficult due to the deep taproot, but the plant is long-lived and low-maintenance. Bees and butterflies visit, and the plant serves as a larval host for several butterfly species; seed pods and flowers can be used in dried arrangements, making it well suited for borders, prairies, native gardens, and pollinator habitat.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-4 feet

Spread

24 inches-4 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring and Summer (April–July)

Foliage Color

Blue-green

Fall Foliage Color

Black

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow growth rate

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators