Baptisia tinctoria (Linnaeus) Ventenat. Common name: Honestyweed, Rattleweed. Phenology: Apr-Aug; Jul-Nov. Habitat: Longleaf pine sandhills, pine flatwoods, xeric oak and pine woodlands, ridges, woodland edges, cobblebars, and roadbanks. Distribution: S. ME, s. NH, s. VT, NY, s. ON, s. MI, s. WI, and se. MN south to GA, sc. TN, and s. IA.
ID notes: The most widespread and common of our species of Baptisia, B. tinctoria is readily recognizable from its small, yellow flowers, small leaflets, and small fruits.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: The taxa synonymized need further investigation.
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, Can, FNA11.1, K4, Mi, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, S, SE3, Tn, Va, W, Isely (1981), Isely (1998), Mendenhall (1994a), Mendenhall (1994b), Turner (2006a); > Baptisia gibbesii Small — S, S13; > Baptisia tinctoria (L.) Vent. — S, S13; > Baptisia tinctoria (L.) Vent. var. crebra Fernald — F, Il, Tat, Larisey (1940a); > Baptisia tinctoria (L.) Vent. var. projecta Fernald — F, G, Larisey (1940a); > Baptisia tinctoria (L.) Vent. var. tinctoria — F, G, Tat, Larisey (1940a). Basionym: Sophora tinctoria L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Baptisia tinctoria - FNA11.1
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Heliophily ⓘ: 8
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, bushy perennial of sandhills, pine flatwoods, dry woodlands and woodland edges, ridges and roadsides.
Stems: Stems bushy-branched, smooth to slightly hairy and with a bluish-white-waxy coating when young.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, short-petiolate, divided into 3 oval (broader at tip and narrowing to base), often blue-green leaflets to 1 in. long, smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in open, few-flowered, terminal racemes; yellow, 1/2 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and with typical pea-flower shape.
Fruits: Fruit a thin-walled, inflated, oval pod, which turns black in winter.
Comments:
Height: 2-3 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect, bushy perennial of sandhills, pine flatwoods, dry woodlands and woodland edges, ridges and roadsides.
stems: Stems bushy-branched, smooth to slightly hairy and with a bluish-white-waxy coating when young.
leaves: Leaves alternate, short-petiolate, divided into 3 oval (broader at tip and narrowing to base), often blue-green leaflets to 1 in. long, smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in open, few-flowered, terminal racemes; yellow, 1/2 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and with typical pea-flower shape.
fruits: Fruit a thin-walled, inflated, oval pod, which turns black in winter.
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern United States
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