Pat Kiewicz wrote:
songbird said:

looks like legume, but the name given to me
by the person who gave me the plant does not
come up with anyting meaningful when i search...

"Baptista"

Baptisia australis, blue false indigo. A lovely perennial in
an informal flower border. Spreads by seed. Normally
not dead headed, because the pods are quite attractive and
the seedlings easily pulled. It is a North American native and
was the Perennial Plant Association 2010 Plant of the Year.

Does well in a wide range of soils but prefers lime-free,
well-drained soil.

the seeds sprout in limestone mulch...
this plant is in a very low area, gets wet
frequently and rarely has dry roots. still it
is growing like gangbusters. if it weren't
contained in the area is it by the borders and
plants it would be twice as large around as it
is.


Develops a tap root and doesn't transplant well--sulks for
a year or more when you do transplant, but very long-lived
once it's established.

I have a couple of clumps of Baptisia australis.

Also one plant of B. sphaerocarpa (yellow flowers) that I planted
this year, and a hybrid, Twilite Prairieblues (I think), which I
planted last year (didn't flower this spring, it's sulking).

thanks much!

good to know the seeds are not edible...


songbird