![]() However, it dislikes alkaline soil and may fail to bloom in shady conditions. This plant is not fussy about growing conditions, and is easy to grow. The soil can contain significant amounts of loam, clay, gravelly material, or sand. The preference is full sun and moist to slightly dry soil. Occasional wildfires are readily tolerated. White Wild Indigo is typically found in less disturbed habitats, partly because of limited seed dispersion. ![]() Habitats include moist to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, thickets, edges of marshes and sandy marshes, borders of lakes, limestone glades, and dry clay hills. Once established, White Wild Indigo grows very quickly during the spring – it often towers above the surrounding plants by blooming time. There is a stout deep taproot, and rhizomes that may form vegetative offsets. They are about 2 inches long and initially green, but later turn black. The flowers are replaced by large oblong seedpods, which are also rather showy. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer and lasts about 1-1½ months. They are typical pea flowers in overall structure, and about 1 inch long. The white flowers occur in erect spike-like racemes up to 2 feet long and are quite showy. Each leaflet is ovate or oblanceolate and pointed at both ends, with smooth margins, and about 2 inches long and ¾-inch across. They are usually greyish green or blue green, and hairless. The stout central stem and upper side stems are smooth, light green or reddish purple, and glaucous. Seeds can be purchased through the Florida Wildflower Growers Cooperative.White Wild Indigo (Baptisia leucantha) is a herbaceous perennial plant is about 3-6 feet tall and forms an erect, sparsely branched bush, although it is herbaceous. Plants are often available from nurseries that specialize in Florida native plants. It does not tolerate root disturbance, so plant seed or seedling where the mature plant is intended to remain. It dies back in winter, but returns in the spring. Garden tips: White wild indigo works well in a mixed wildflower planting, particularly in the background given its relative height. Growth habit: 2–3+’+ tall, often wider than tall Soil: Moderately to very dry, acidic to neutral soils To see where natural populations of White wild indigo have been vouchered, visit. Native range: Panhandle, north and central peninsula Many species of Baptisia were historically used to produce a blue dye, hence the common name of the genus, indigo.įamily: Fabeaceae (Legume, bean or pea family) (The plant’s large tuberous roots allow it to withstand browsing.) The fruits are eaten by a variety of birds, and the foliage is browsed by rabbits and deer. ![]() It attracts many pollinators and is the larval host plant for the Wild indigo duskywing and Zarucco duskywing butterflies. White wild indigo occurs naturally in pine flatwoods and along riverbanks and deciduous forest edges. Young seed pods are green and turn grayish-black as they mature. Leaves are compound, alternately arranged, and comprised of three bluish-green, elliptic to ovate leaflets. A single plant may produce several flower stalks. ![]() ![]() Its showy white blooms are borne on erect, terminal racemes that extend a foot or more above the foliage and remain for several weeks. White wild indigo is a long-lived perennial herbaceous wildflower. Click on terms for botanical definitions. Pictured above: White wild indigo ( Baptisia alba) by Lisa Roberts. ![]()
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