The flowers are valuable for attracting butterflies.
* photos taken on May 6 2010 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD
* photo taken on July 16 2018 in Midland, ON
Baptisia alba ( Wild White Indigo )
A moderate growing, deeply-taprooted, upright, bushy perennial, forming clumps up to 7 x 10 ( rarely over 5 x 5 ) feet. It is native to the southeast U.S. ( from central Nebraska to southern Minnesota to central Wisconsin to Flint, Michigan to southern Ontario to Maryland; south to central Texas to central Florida ). It is endangered in Minnesota and North Carolina. This tough plant is great for both perennial border and hardcore commercial plantings.
The leaves are composed of 3 elliptical leaflets up to 1.6 ( rarely 3 ) inches in length. The luxuriant green foliage remains attractive from first in the spring when they resemble purplish asparagus shoots until well into the fall. The foliage often turns to yellow during autumn.
The creamy-white flowers, up to 0.5 inches wide, are borne on racemes up to 20 inches in length, over a 2.5 to rarely 6 week period during early summer.
They are followed by black seedpods.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 in full sun to partial shade on well drained soil. It is very drought tolerant. It is difficult to transplant and establishes slowly but is extremely long lived. It tolerates poor soils as the roots fix their own nitrogen. Cut back by about 1/3 after flowering. It is rarely bothered by insects, disease or deer.
* photos taken on Aug 25 2011 @ Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore College, PA
* photo taken @ U.S. Botanical Garden, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014
'Wayne's World'
Forms a vigorous, dense upright clump, reaching up to 4 x 6.2 feet in size.
The pure white flowers are borne on spikes up to 18 inches in length, over a 3 week period during late spring into early summer
It is otherwise similar. This spectacular plant is otherwise similar to the species.
Hardy from zone 4 to 9 in full sun or partial shade.
* photo taken on May 16 2011 in Washington, D.C.
* photos taken on May 21 2011 @ Brookside Gardens "Party with the Peonies" tour in Fulton, MD
* photo taken on May 30 2015 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on July 5 2015 in Columbia, MD
Baptisia 'American Goldfinch'
Dense and rounded in habit, reaching up to 3.5 x 5 feet in size. A single clump may contain up to 100 stems.
The oblanceolate leaflets are up to 3 x 0.9 inches in size. The foliage is mid-green.
The very abundant, intense yellow flowers, up to 1 x 0.6 inches in size, appear on inflorescences, up to 13 x 3 inches, over a long season lasting up to 4 weeks from late spring into early summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 9
* photo taken on May 17 2024 in Howard Co., MD
* patent photo
Baptisia arachnifera ( Hairy Wild Indigo )
A bushy perennial, reaching up to 2.8 x 5 feet in size, that has only been found in 2 counties ( Bradley & Wayne ) in Georgia's coastal plain since it's discovery. It is critically endangered in the wild, it's natural habitat of sandy pine woods is 99% gone and the remains have been further altered by fire supression. It is an extremely attractive landscape plant and is visually superior to the similar but more green B. perfoliata.
The simple, stem-clasping, eucalyptus-like leaves, up to 2.3 x 2 inches in size, are blue-green and covered in silvery white hairs.
The bright yellow flowers are borne on terminal panicles during mid-summer.
Hardy zones .6 to 10 ( may prove even hardier with further testing ) in full sun on very well drained soil.
Baptisia australis ( Wild Indigo )
A very tough, deep rooted, very long lived, clumping, herbaceous shrub, reaching a maximum size of 6.5 x 10 ( rarely over 4 x 4 ) feet. Wild Indigo is native to the southeastern U.S. ( from southeast Nebraska to southeast Iowa to southern Wisconsin to far northern Indiana to far northwest Pennsylvania to CT; south to most of Oklahoma to far northern Georgia ). It is endangered in the wild in nearly all its native range except for the southern Plains, Missouri and Arkansas.
It looks great as a focal point or against a fence or stone wall. It also looks great with ornamental grases, Boltonia and Rudbeckias. It is one of the first plants to emerge in spring.
The trifoliate leaves are composed of oblong leaflets up to 2.4 inches in length. The attractive foliage is luxuriant bright green at first, later turning to blue-green. The foliage sometimes turns to yellow during autumn.
The mid-blue to purplish-blue flowers, up to 1 inch each, are borne on racemes up to 18 inches in length, over a 2.5 to rarely 6 week period during late spring into early summer. The flowers attract butterflies.
Hardy zone 2 to 8 in full sun or partial shade on deep, fertile, slightly acidic to neutral, well drained soil. Extremely drought tolerant and also salt tolerant. It is resistant to both rabbit and deer. Tolerant of temporary flooding and can be grown on floodplains.
* photo taken on April 11 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum
* photo taken on April 18 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum
* at Chicken Filet Restaurant on Dobbin Road in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 1 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.
* photos taken on May 1 2012 in Ellicott City, MD
* photos taken on June 1 2014 @ Maryland Horticultural Society garden tour, Ellicott City
* photos taken on May 16 2011 in Washington, D.C.
* photo taken on June 7 2012 in Ellicott City, MD
* photos taken on July 23 2014 in Ellicott City, MD
* photos taken on June 21 2015 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 30 2016 in Annapolis, MD
* photos taken on July 25 2016 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on May 19 2017 in Ellicott City, MD
* photos taken on May 28 2017 in Howard Co., MD
* photo taken on May 28 2017 in Ellicott City, MD
* photo taken on June 15 2017 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on Jul 19 2017 @ Rideau Hall, Ottawa, ON
* photos taken on May 25 2018 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 22 2019 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 28 2019 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on Sep 23 2020 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 25 2021 in Annapolis, MD
* photo taken on May 31 2021 in Columbia, MD
'Caspian Blue'
A selection with deep blue flowers ( racemes up to 16 inches long ), which can reach up to 5 ( rarely exceeding 3 ) feet in height.
* photo taken on May 16 2011 in Washington, D.C.
* photo taken @ U.S. Botanical Garden, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014
Baptisia 'Blueberry Sundae'
Vigorous and compact in habit, reaching up to 3.8 x 4 feet in size.
The attractive foliage is deep blue-green. The leaves are composed of 3 oblanceolate leaflets, up to 2 x 0.6 inches in size.
The deep indigo-blue flowers are borne on racemes up to 12 x 1.2 inches in size, over a 2.5 week period during late spring.
Hardy zones 4 to 9
Bred by plant breeder Hans Hansen.
* photos taken on May 25 2023 in Columbia, MD
Baptisia bracteata ( Long Bract Indigo )
A very attractive, slow growing, very deep rooted, long-lived, bushy, broad-clumping perennial, reaching up to 3 x 4 ( rarely over 2 ) feet, that is native to open sandy woodlands in the eastern half of North America ( from eastern Nebraska to central Minnesota to central Wisconsin to southern Michigan; south to central Texas to central Georgia and South Carolina, with separate populations in New Jersey and Massachusetts ).
The trifoliate leaves are composed of 3 oblong to spathulate leaflets, up to 3 ( rarely over 1.5 ) inches in length. The foliage turns to orangish-yellow during autumn.
The creamy-yellow flowers, up to 1 inch in length, are borne on racemes ( up to 8 inches long ) during late spring though before most other species of Baptisia come into bloom. The racemes are not upright unlike most other species, however remain very showy.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 in full sun to partial shade on well drained soil. It is very drought tolerant but may go dormant as early as mid-summer during extreme drought.
Baptisia 'Carolina Moonlight'
A long-lived, upright, bushy-perennial, reaching up to 5 x 5.5 feet. It is a hybrid originating in the N.C. State Botanical Garden.
The very attractive foliage is luxuriant blue-green.
The buttery-yellow flowers are borne on upright spikes up to 18 inches in length, over a 3 to 6 week period during late spring into early summer. The flowers are offset nicely by the gray stems which they are borne from.
Up to as many as 50 strong flower spikes may occur on a mature plant.
They are followed by black seed pods, up to 2.5 inches in length.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 in full sun to partial shade on well drained soil. It is very heat and drought tolerant.
* photos taken on May 16 2011 in Washington, D.C.
* photos taken on Aug 19 2019 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 21 2024 in Columbia, MD
Baptisia 'Cherries Jubilee'
A vigorous, upright, dense, shrubby-perennial, reaching up to 2.8 x 3 feet in 5 years, eventually to 3.5 x 5 feet in size.
The attractive foliage is deep blue-green. The leaves are composed of 3 oblanceolate leaflets, up to 2.4 x 0.9 inches in size.
The flowers are borne on racemes up to 18 x 1.7 inches in size, over a 2.5 week period during late spring. The flowers are deep red in bud, opening to deep rusty-orange with a yellow central keel.
Hardy zones 3 to 8.
* photo taken on May 8 2015 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 27 2017 @ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA
* photo taken on May 9 2024 in Elkridge, MD
* patent photo
Baptisia 'Cherry Pie'
Vigorous and compact, reaching up to 2.6 x 4 feet.
The foliage is blue-green.
The long-lasting intense red ( with yellow keels ) flowers are borne on racemes up to 15 inches long, during late spring. The flowers later fade to violet.
Hardy zones 4 to 9.
Baptisia 'Chocolate Chip'
Similar to Baptisia 'Dutch Chocolate' but larger growing to 4 x 6.5 feet, with larger, reddish-purple flower spikes, up to 20 inches in length, borne over a longer period of 2.5 weeks.
It is sturdy in habit.
* photo taken on May 8 2016 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 21 2024 in Columbia, MD
Baptisia cinerea ( Gray Hairy Wild Indigo )
A rhizome-spreading ( unlike most Baptisia ) but upright perennial, reaching up to 2.5 x 2.5 feet, that is native to the sandhills in southeastern Virginia, the Carolinas and Gaorgia. It is only found in one county in central Alabama where it is endangered.
The trifoliate leaves are composed of oval or elliptical leaflets, up to 2.4 inches in length. The attractive foliage is blue-green.
The bright yellow flowers, up to 1 inch in length, are borne on upright racemes ( up to 8 inches long ) topping the plant over a 2 week period during mid-spring.
The stems are covered in soft gray hairy.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in full sun to partial shade on well drained soil. It is very drought tolerant.
Baptisia 'Dutch Chocolate'
Vigorous, dense and compact in habit, reaching up to 3.7 x 4.5 feet.
The foliage is deep blue-green. The leaves are composed of 3 oblanceolate leaflets, up to 1.6 x 0.8 inches in size.
The very deep purple flowers borne on racemes up to 15 x 1 inches in size, are borne over a 3.5 week period during late spring.
Hardy zones 3 to 8. An introduction from Hans Hansen.
* patent photo
* photos taken on May 9 2024 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 16 2024 in Columbia, MD
Baptisia 'First Blush'
A perennial, reaching up to 4.5 x 3 feet. It is a selection from the famous Plant Delights Nursery in North Carolina.
The foliage is bronze-purple at first, turning to gray-green during summer. The stems are grayish.
The flowers are pink at first, turning to pinkish-white. It blooms on racemes, up to 15 inches long, later than most Baptisia hybrids making it a great selection to add to any Baptisia collection to ensure a longer season.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 ( possibly even 3 )
Baptisia 'Grape Taffy'
Compact in habit, reaching up to 2.5 x 3 feet in size.
the oblanceolate leaflets are up to 1.8 x 0.7 inches in size.
The flowers are deep purplish-red and yellow. They appear during late spring.
Hardy zones 4 to 8
* photos taken on May 9 2024 in Columbia, MD
* patent photo
* photos taken on May 23 2024 in Columbia, MD
Baptisia 'Indigo Spires'
Dense, sturdy and vase-shaped to rounded in habit, reaching up to 4 x 4 feet in 8 years.
The foliage is deep blue-green. The oblanceolate leaflets are up to 3 x 1.6 inches in size.
The abundant, violet-purple flowers, up to 1 x 0.6 inches in size, are borne in spikes up to 15 inches long, during late spring,, continuing lightly until mid-summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 9
* patent photo
Baptisia 'JC Reulston'
A perennial, reaching up to 4 feet, with very large, purplish-blue flowers borne on purple stems.
The foliage is blackish-green at first, turning to blue-green.
Hardy zones 5 to 9
Baptisia lactea
A slow growing but large herbaceous bush that can live over 30 years and reach up to 7 x 4 feet. It is native to prairie from eastern Nebraska to southeast Minnesota to far southeast Michigan; south into southern Illinois and Indiana.
The leaves are composed of 3 oblong leaflets, up to 2 x 1 inches in size. The foliage is blue-green.
The creamy-white flowers, up to 1 inch long, are borne on spikes up to 18 inches long, during early summer.
Grows on any well drained soil in full sun to partial shade and is not prone to pest or disease. Grows very well in the summer heat of the southeast U.S. Deep rooted and drought tolerant.
Baptisia 'Lavendula' A very vigorous, bushy perennial, reaching up to 3.5 x 6 feet in size. The attractive foliage is blue-green. The flowers, up to 1 inch in size, are borne on racemes up to 23 inches in length, over a period lasting 3 weeks during late spring. They emerge white, later darkening to lavender-blue. The stems are gray.
Baptisia 'Lemon Merinque'
Very vigorous in habit, upright, compact and vase-shaped, reaching up to 4 x 5.5 feet, with charcoal black stems.
The attractive foliage is blue-green. The leaves are composed of 3 oblanceolate leaflets, up to 2 x 0.9 inches in size.
The lemon-yellow flowers are borne on racemes up to 16 x 2 inches in size, over a 2.5 to 3 week period during late spring into early summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 8
* photo taken @ Smithsonian Inst, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014
* photos taken on June 19 2016 in Elkridge, MD
* photos taken on Apr 28 2018 in Ellicott City, MD
* photo taken on May 14 2022 in Ellicott City, MD
* photo taken on May 6 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD
* patent photo
Baptisia leucantha ( Prairie False Indigo )
The giant of the family; this one can form clumps up to 9 x 5 ( rarely over 6 ) feet.
Plants grow very rapidly after emerging during late spring, reaching up to 4 feet in a week. The Prairie False Indigo is native to the U.S. ( from southern Minnesota to Ohio; south to Texas to Mississippi ). It occurred sporadically at Detroit before 1900 but has since become extinct there. It also occurred sporadically on the Ohio shore during that time. It is usually found on natural prairie in the wild.
The leaflets are up to 2.5 inchesin length.
The creamy-white flowers are borne on racemes up to 22 inches in length, over a 2 week period during late spring into early summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 in full sun.
Baptisia leucophaea ( Cream Wild-Indigo )
Also called Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea . A clumping, bushy perennial, reaching up to 3 x 4 feet, that is native to open woods and prairies in the central U.S. ( from South Dakota to southern Minnesota to southeast Michigan; south to southern Texas to southern Mississippi ). It is nearly extinct in Michigan with only one surviving population in Cass County ( may be escaped ) and multiple populations disappearing from Kalamazoo County during the 1950s. It is also endangered in Minnesota.
The trifoliae leaves, up to 4 inches in length, are composed of narrow-elliptical leaflets, up to 2.4 x 0.6 inches in size. The finely-hairy, handsome foliage is blue-green.
The creamy-white flowers, up to 2 inches in size, are borne on spikes up to 12 inches in length, during late spring into early summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 ( 3 for Minnesota populations ) in full sun to partial shade on moist, sandy, well drained soil. It is very tolerant of heat and drought once established.
'Butterball'
Early emerging and compact, forming a bushy clump up to 1.5 x 2 feet.
The foliage is blue-green.
The very abundant, creamy-yellow flowers are borne during late spring.
Baptisia 'Lunar Eclipse'
Also called Baptisia 'Lunar Eclipse Prairieblues'. Moderate growing and compact in habit, reaching up to 4 x 5.2 feet.
The blue-green Foliage is borne on bluish-gray stems. The leaves are composed of 3 oblanceolate leaflets, up to 2 x 0.8 inches in size.
The flowers open creamy-white, turning to pale purple then finally turning to violet-purple. Often all colors appear on the plant at the same time. They appear on racemes up to 15 x 2 inches in size, over a period of 3 weeks during late spring into very early summer. The unusually large flowers are borne on very long racemes ( up to 20 inches long ).
Hardy zones 4 to 9.
* photo taken on July 1 2015 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 9 2019 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on July 27 2019 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 21 2020 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 11 2021 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 19 2021 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on June 10 2021 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 13 2024 in Columbia, MD
Baptisia megacarpa ( Apalachicola Wild Indigo )
Also called Baptisia riparia. A dense, bushy perennial, reaching up to 4 x 5 ( rarely over 2.5 x 3 ) feet, that is native the southeastern U.S. ( from central Alabama to southwest Georgia; south to northwest Florida ).
The trifoliate leaves are composed of oval or elliptical leaves. The attractive foliage is blue-green.
The white ( rarely pale purple ) flowers are borne on upright terminal racemes during early summer.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in full sun to partial shade on well drained soil. It is very drought tolerant.
* excellent photo link found on internet
http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=1580111
Baptisia 'Midnight Prairie Blues'
Moderate growing, upright, vase-shaped and sturdy, reaching up to 5 x 6.5 feet.
The attractive foliage is blue-green. The leaves are composed of 3 oblanceolate leaflets, up to 2 x 0.8 inches in size.
The deep violet-blue flowers are borne on racemes up to 27 x 2.4 inches in size, over a period lasting up to 4 weeks during late spring into early summer ( reblooming on secondary branches ). The flowers are highly visible as they are mostly held above the foliage.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 in full sun to partial shade. Long lived and extremely drought tolerant.
Baptisia minor ( Lesser Wild Indigo )
A very long lived perennial, reaching up to 3 x 4 feet with dense sturdy habit. It is native to the central U.S. from eastern Nebraska to northeast Iowa to Chicago; south to north-central Texas to Arkansas and western Kentucky.
The small but dense, fine-textured foliage is very attractive. The leaves are composed of 3 leaflets, up to 1.2 x 0.3 inches in size.
The very abundant violet-blue flowers are borne on racemes up to 18 inches in length, over a 3 week period during late spring.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 in full sun on well drained soil. Tolerant of heat, drought and clay. It does not like root disturbance and should not be moved once it's established.
* photo taken @ Smithsonian Inst, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014
* photos taken @ U.S. Botanical Garden, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014
* photos taken on May 27 2017 @ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA
'Blue Mound'
Vigorous in habit, reaching up to 3.5 x 5.3 feet in size.
The purplish-blue flowers are borne on racemes up to 16 inches long, over a 3 week period during early summer.
* patent photo
'Blue Pearls'
Growing to 3 x 4 ( rarely over 2 ) feet with a neat, mounding habit and very abundant light blue flowers that stand out above the foliage. A mature plant can produce over 50 flower stems. The fine textured foliage remains attractive all season long
* photo taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.
* photo taken @ U.S. Botanical Garden, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014
Baptisia 'Mojito'
A dense, sturdy, vase-shaped perennial, reaching up to 3.7 x 5 feet in 5 years, eventually slightly wider.
The foliage is bright green. The leaves are composed of 3 leaflets, up to 2 x 0.6 inches in size.
The very abundant, creamy-yellow flowers appear on upright racemes up to 13 x 2.2 inches in size, over a period lasting up to 4 weeks during late spring.
Hardy zones 4 to 7.
* photos taken on May 6 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD
* patent photos
Baptisia nuttalliana ( Nuttall's Wild Indigo )
A perennial, reaching up to 3 x 3 feet, that is native to from southeast Oklahoma to far northeast Arkansas; south to eastern Texas, Mississippi and western Louisiana. It is endangered in Oklahoma and Mississippi.
The foliage is mid-green.
The deep yellow flowers are interspersed with the foliage, not borne on spikes unlike other Baptisia species. The flowers are borne during late spring, a few weeks earlier than most other species.
Hardy zones 7 to 9 in full sun. It is very drought tolerant.
Baptisia perfoliata ( Catbells )
A perennial, reaching up to 2.5 x 3 feet, that is native to western Alabama and central South Carolina. It makes a very attractive groundcover. It is endangered in Alabama where it only remains in a single county.
The simple, rounded leaves are up to 1.6 inches in length. The attractive blue-green foliage resembles that of juvenile Eucalyptus.
The yellow flowers are borne singly from the leaf axils during late spring.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 in full sun to partial shade on sandy, well drained soil.
* excellent photo link found on internet
http://www.louisvillegardencenter.net/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=67
Baptisia 'Pink Lemonade'
Moderate growing and compact in habit, reaching up to 5 x 4.7 feet in 7 years, eventually slightly wider.
The foliage is deep blue-green. The leaves are composed of 3 oblanceolate leaflets, up to 2.1 x 0.9 inches in size.
The soft yellow flowers age to pink then finally raspberry-purple with often all colors present on a flower panicle. The flowers appear over a period lasting up to a month during late spring into early summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 9.
* photo taken on May 3 2024 @ Kingston, PA
* patent photos
Baptisia 'Plum Rosy'
Moderate growing, dense and vase-shaped in habit, reaching up to 4 x 4 feet.
The foliage is blue-green.
The bicolored rosy-pink ( turning to white ) flowers are boren in spikes during late spring.
Hardy zones 4 to 9
* photos taken on May 9 2024 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 16 2024 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 23 2024 in Columbia, MD
Baptisia 'Purple Smoke'
The hybrid between Baptisia alba & B. australis. An extremely vigorous, tough, dense shrubby perennial to 5 x 4.2 feet with up to 50 or more flowering stalks on mature plants.
The attractive gray-green foliage is topped with light purple-blue flowers on racemes up to 18 inches in length. The very abundant flowers persist from 2 to 5 weeks. A single plant may bear 40 or more flower spikes at a time.
The stems are blackish-green.
Hardy from zone 3 to 8 in full sun on just about any well drained soil. Very drought tolerant and Deer resistant.
* photos taken on July 17 2010 @ Morris Arboretum, Philly, PA
* photo taken on May 16 2011 in Washington, D.C.
* photos taken on May 21 2011 @ Brookside Gardens "Party with the Peonies" tour in Fulton, MD
* photos taken on May 27 2017 @ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA
* photos taken on May 6 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD
Baptisia 'Royal Purple'
A vigorous, dense,upright, rounded perennial, reaching a maximum size of 4 x 6 feet. It is very similar to Baptisia australis in most aspects except for flower color. It is one of many hybrid Baptisia that was developed by Dr. Jim Ault at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
The attractive foliage is luxuriant blue-green. The leaves are composed of 3 oblanceolate leaves, up to 2 x 0.9 inches in size.
The very deep purple flowers are borne in racemes up to 21 x 2 inches in size, over a period lasting up to 3 weeks during late spring.
Hardy zones 4 to 7 ( possibly hardier ).
* patent photo
Baptisia simplicifolia ( Simpleleaf Baptisia )
A low, groundcover perennial, reaching up to 1.5 x 2 feet, that is native to a tiny area in northwest Florida. It is endangered in the wild. It does not emerge until early summer, to its late appearance it is best to mix this plant with Daffodils.
The thick, blue-green foliage resembles that of juvenile Eucalyptus. It is simple, not trifoliate like other Baptisia's.
The yellow flowers are borne on terminal spikes during late summer.
Hardy zones 5b to 9 in full sun to partial shade on consistently moist, well drained soil.
Baptisia 'Solar Flare'
Similar to 'Carolina Moonlight' but extremely vigorous, upright and dense with over 100 stalks at maturity ( reaching up to 4 x 5.4 feet in 6 years ).
The leaves are composed of 3 oblanceolate leaflets, up to 2.6 x 1 inches in size.
The flowers are borne on racemes, up to 20 x 0.8 inches in size, over a period lasting up to 2.5 weeks during late spring into early summer. The are bright yellow, later deepening to deep orange, persisting up to 2.5 weeks.
The attractive foliage is blue-green.
Hardy zones 3 to 8. Drought tolerant.
* photos taken on May 21 2011 @ Brookside Gardens "Party with the Peonies" tour in Fulton, MD
* photos taken on June 2 2020 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on May 6 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD
* photo taken on May 9 2024 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 22 2024 in Columbia, MD
* patent photos
Baptisia 'Sparkling Sapphires'
Moderate growing, dense compact and upright in habit, reaching up to 2.8 x 2.7 feet in 5 years, eventually to 3 x 3 feet.
The foliage is mid-green. The leaves are composed of 3 elliptical leaflets up to 2 x 1 inches in size.
The intense violet-blue flowers appear on racemes, up to 13 inches long, for up to 4 weeks during mid to late spring.
Hardy zones 4 to 9
* patent photo
* photo taken on May 3 2023 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on Apr 20 2024 in Burtonsville, MD
Baptisia sphaerocarpa
Also called Baptisia viridis. A moderate growing, very sturdy, dense, bushy perennial, reaching a maximum size of 4 x 5 feet, that is native from central Oklahoma to northeastern Missouri; south to eastern Texas to southern Mississippi.
The attractive foliage is bright blue-green with little or no fall color. The leaves are composed of 3 leaflets up to an inch in length.
The abundant flowers, borne on upright racemes up to 15 inches in length, are intense brilliant yellow. A single plant may produce up to 130 or more flower spikes at a time during late spring into early summer lasting about 2 weeks.
The flowers are followed by a rounded pod.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in full sun. Very drought tolerant due to its having a very deep taproot.
* photos taken on May 16 2011 in Washington, D.C.
* photo taken on July 16 2018 @ Wye Marsh, Midland, ON
'Hunt County'
Forms a clump, up to 3 x 4 feet, with blue-green foliage and yellow flower spikes up to 12 inches in length.
Hardy zones 2 to 8, very tolerant of both heat and drought.
'Screaming Yellow'
Similar but more vigorous with thick stems up to 0.5 inches across, forming a dense, sturdy clump up to 5 x 5 feet.
The leaves are slightly larger than regular Baptisia sphaerocarpa. The deep green leaflets are up to 1.5 inches in length.
The stunning bright yellow flower spikes up to 15 inches in length are composed of flowers up to 1 inch in length. The flowers are borne over a season lasting 4 weeks during late spring.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 ( likely 4 on protected sites ) in full sun to partial shade.
* photos taken on May 27 2017 @ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA
* photos taken on May 28 2017 in Howard Co., MD
* photos taken on May 25 2018 in Columbia, MD
Baptisia 'Starlight Prairieblues'
A long-lived, vigorous but dense, sturdy perennial, reaching up to 5 x 5 feet in 3 years, eventually up to 7 feet across. It is a hybrid between Baptisia australis & B. bracteata.
The attractive foliage is luxuriant blue-green. The leaves are composed of 3 oblanceolate leaflets up to 3 x 1 inches in size.
It bears long racemes of flowers, up to 24 x 1.8 inches in size, that are soft blue fading to white at the base. The flowers persist up to 3 weeks during late spring into early summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 8.
* photo taken on June 2 2020 in Columbia, MD
Baptisia 'Sunny Morning'
The hybrid between Baptisia sphaerocarpa and Baptisia alba. A vigorous, very dense, rounded perennial, reaching up to 3.4 x 6 feet.
The foliage is deep green. The leaves are composed of 3 oval leaflets, up to 2 x 0.8 inches in size.
The very abundant, rich deep yellow flowers contrast spectacularly with the deep gray stems. They appear during late spring and about 10 days earlier than Baptisia sphaerocarpa. The flowers are borne on racemes up to 12 x 1.8 inches long, over a period lasting around 3 weeks.
Hardy zones 4 to 7 in full sun on acidic to neutral, well drained soil.
* photos taken on May 7 2024
* photo taken on May 12 2024 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on May 16 2024 in Columbia, MD
* patent photos
Baptisia tinctoria
A very attractive perennial, reaching up to 4 x 3.3 feet, that is native to the dry sandy savannas and prairie in eastern North America ( from southeast Minnesota to southern Wisconsin to Sarnia, Ontario to Niagara Falls, Ontario to southern Maine; south to central Iowa to central Tennessee to central Georgia ). It is extinct in the wild in Iowa and Vermont; endangered in Ontario ( previously much more common ), Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Maine. In the Windsor/Essex County, Ontario region; it was locally common in Windsor, Lasalle, Colchester and the Leamington area during the 1800s. It was also abundant at Detroit and occurred sporadically on the Ohio shore during the 1800s.
The trifoliate leaves are composed of 3 leaflets, up to 1.2 x 0.3 ( usually half ) inches in size. The dense, luxuriant blue-green foliage is topped by showy bright yellow flowers during mid to late summer lasting about 3.5 weeks. It often also blooms sporadically during late spring and early fall. The flowers are borne on clusters up to 12 ( rarely over 5 ) inches in length.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 in full sun to light shade. Drought and heat tolerant once established due to its deep extensive root system.
* photo taken on Sep 18 2016 @ Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel, MD
* photo taken on Aug 24 2017 @ U.S. Botanic Garden, Wash. DC.
Baptisia 'Twilight Prairie Blues'
A hybrid between Baptisia australis & B. sphaerocarpa. Long lived, vigorous, dense and upright, reaching up to 5 x 8 feet. A plant just 3 years old may have up to 100 or more flowering stems. The foliage is healthy blue-green. The leaves are composed of 3 leaflets, up to 3 x 1 inches in size.
The very abundant flowers are deep chocolate-purple with a yellow base. The flowers are borne on racemes up to 32 x 1.8 inches in size, over a long season during early summer.
Hardy zones 3 to 8. Very heat and drought tolerant.
* photo taken on May 21 2011 @ Brookside Gardens tour "Party with the Peonies" in Fulton, MD
* photos taken on May 17 2017 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on June 2 2020 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on June 2 2022 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on May 6 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD
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