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Baptisia australis (Linnaeus) R. Brown. Tall Blue Wild Indigo, Streamside Blue Indigo, Tall Blue Baptisia. Phen: Apr-Jun; Jun-Aug. Hab: Riverbank scour areas, gravel bars, and disturbed areas (where persisting from cultivation). Dist: Native to w. and n. VA, w. MD, WV, w. PA, e. and c. KY, ne. TN, se. IN, and s. OH, probably w. NC (Yancey County), and possibly native to other states, the original range somewhat obscured by its frequent cultivation.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: See Weakley et al. (2018a) for detailed discussion of the taxonomy of the "blue Baptisias".

Synonymy ⓘ: = F, Il, W, Larisey (1940a), Weakley et al (2018a); = Baptisia australis (L.) R.Br. var. australis – C, G, K1, K3, NE, NY, Va, Mendenhall (1994a), Mendenhall (1994b); < Baptisia australis (L.) R.Br. – Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tn; < Baptisia australis (L.) R.Br. var. australis – FNA11.1, SE3, Isely (1981), Isely (1998), Turner (2006a)

Links to other floras: < Baptisia australis var. australis - FNA11.1

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Great Plains: UPL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image of plant© Emily Oglesby | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Nate Hartley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Nate Hartley source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Derek Ziomber, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Derek Ziomber source CC-BY-NC-SA, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© cassi saari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by cassi saari source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Emily Oglesby | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Derek Ziomber, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Derek Ziomber source CC-BY-NC-SA, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect, bushy perennial of glades, barrens and open woodlands over limestone or other calcareous rocks, and over diabase or other mafic rocks.

Stems: Stems several (and more with age) from a woody base, branches angled upward, smooth and with a white-waxy coating.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, the petioles with conspicuous stipules at the base; divided into 3 bluish-green, oval leaflets, each 1/2-3 in. long and smooth.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in erect, terminal racemes (to 12 in. long) extending well above foliage; blue-violet, 1 in. long, bilaterally symmetric with typical pea-flower shape.

Fruits: Fruit an inflated seed pod with pointed tip; turns charcoal-black when ripe.

Comments: Two varieties of this species are sometimes recognized: var. aberrans, with leaflets mostly oriented in a vertical plane (as opposed to horizontal) and racemes generally shorter and more densely flowered than in var. australis. Habitat described here is for var. aberrans; var. australis is more typically found on riverbank scour areas and gravel bars, as well as disturbed areas, where it persists from cultivation. Early Americans used B. australis as an inferior dye substitute for true indigo.

Height: 2-3 ft.

plant sale text: This fine southeastern native perennial looks attractive throughout the growing season. Its spikes of blue pea-like flowers are beautiful. Each plant grows into a bushy mound of attractive bluish-green foliage. Tall Blue Wild Indigo is tough and easy to grow. Mature plants have a shrub-like appearance. Once established, it is a drought-tolerant, long-lived perennial. The root of this plant was used by Native Americans to treat skin infections. 1992 N.C. Wildflower of the Year

bloom table text:

description: Erect, bushy perennial of glades, barrens and open woodlands over limestone or other calcareous rocks, and over diabase or other mafic rocks.

stems: Stems several (and more with age) from a woody base, branches angled upward, smooth and with a white-waxy coating.

leaves: Leaves alternate, the petioles with conspicuous stipules at the base; divided into 3 bluish-green, oval leaflets, each 1/2-3 in. long and smooth.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in erect, terminal racemes (to 12 in. long) extending well above foliage; blue-violet, 1 in. long, bilaterally symmetric with typical pea-flower shape.

fruits: Fruit an inflated seed pod with pointed tip; turns charcoal-black when ripe.

comments: Two varieties of this species are sometimes recognized: var. aberrans, with leaflets mostly oriented in a vertical plane (as opposed to horizontal) and racemes generally shorter and more densely flowered than in var. australis. Habitat described here is for var. aberrans; var. australis is more typically found on riverbank scour areas and gravel bars, as well as disturbed areas, where it persists from cultivation. Early Americans used B. australis as an inferior dye substitute for true indigo.

cultural notes:

germination code: 3

native range: eastern United States