Blue False Indigo

Baptisia or Blue False Indigo may not be all that familiar but it should be for it’s striking purple flower stalks and refreshing blue-green foliage.  It has what we always look for- drought tolerant (has deep roots), deer resistant in some areas (poisonous), good cut flowers (blooms in May- June), long lived (so can require some age to bloom and is slower growing), North American prairie native (can tolerate clay or sandy soils), and butterfly attractor.  The easy to care for Baptisia can get 3-4′ tall and 2′-3′ wide and is rather vase shaped, so low growing perennials at it’s base might be nice. Looks great with chartreuse Euphorbias, round headed Alliums, or silver Artemesia nearby. The sweet pea-like flowers make a great contrast with grasses as well. ‘Solar Flare’ is a newer yellow variety.