Overall plant
Species Native to Missouri
Common Name: yellow wild indigo
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Fabaceae
Native Range: South-central United States
Zone: 5 to 8
Height: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Spread: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Rain Garden
Flower: Showy
Attracts: Butterflies
Fruit: Showy
Tolerate: Drought, Erosion, Dry Soil
Culture
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best in full sun. Tolerates drought and poor soils. Over time, plants form slowly expanding clumps with deep and extensive root systems, and should not be disturbed once established. Difficult to grow from seed and slow to establish. Plants take on more of a shrubby appearance and tend to open up after bloom. Trimming or shearing foliage after bloom helps maintain rounded plant appearance and obviates any need for staking, but eliminates some of the developing seed pods which are so attractive.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Baptisia sphaerocarpa, commonly called false indigo (or yellow wild indigo) is an upright, mounded perennial that typically grows 2-3’ tall. It is native to open habitats along the Gulf Coasts of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi north through Oklahoma and Arkansas to Missouri. It features small, yellow, pea-like flowers (to 1/2” long) in erect racemes (to 12-15”) atop yellowish-green flower stems extending well above a foliage mound of clover-like, trifoliate, blue-green leaves (leaflets to 2” long). Blooms in spring. Flowers give way to inflated spherical seed pods (to 3/4” diameter) that turn tan to brown when ripe and have considerable ornamental interest. Stems with seed pods are valued additions to dried flower arrangements.
The genus name Baptisia comes from the Greek word bapto meaning "to dye".
Specific epithet means with rounded fruit.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Sensitive to juglone. Tends to perform poorly when planted close to black walnut trees.
Uses
Borders, cottage gardens, prairies, meadows and native plant gardens. Effective in naturalized settings. Best as a specimen or in small groups.