Baptisia (False Indigo)
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by Dr. Susan Hamilton

Looking for a fantastic, old-fashioned perennial that is beautiful and tough? Baptisia,or False Indigo, may be the plant for you. I planted a clump in my garden about five years ago that has matured into an impressive specimen. It’s been absolutely pest and problem-free.

A native American wildflower, Baptisiais a member of the pea (legume) family. Growing up to 3 feet tall and just as wide, Baptisiahas few equals because of its striking vertical form and ability to serve as a focal point when blooming each spring. In Tennessee, it’s spiky blooms usually last 3 to 4 weeks during April. It also makes an attractive space filler during the summer. I like the showy, pea-like seed pods it retains well into the summer.

I like to use Baptisiaswhere their structural form can be appreciated, so I plant them among groundcovers that highlight their best attributes. Some of my favorite subservient plants for Baptisias include Artemisia 'Powis Castle', various low-growing veronicas, Iris tectorum,acorus, various selections of sun-tolerant Hosta, and Ranunculus (Golden Buttercup). Baptisiasalso make perfect companions for early spring-flowering bulbs, as they can be timed so that their stalks emerge just after the bulbs have finished. Because Baptisiasdevelop such a thick canopy of foliage, it would be hard to achieve a simultaneous display of bulbs and Baptisias in the same space, but successional planting produces great garden color.

Baptisiasrequire full-sun for best performance, although the white forms tolerate partial shade. It grows best in deep, rich soils but is tolerant of poor soils. Baptisiasare actually native to open prairies and can live for decades. The plant's strong, fleshy root system allows it to be quite drought resistant. They are perfect plants for xeriscaping.

Popular selections include the blue-flowering species Baptisia australis, B. minor, B. 'Purple Smoke'; the white-flowering species B. albescens; B. alba var. macrophylla, and B. alba var. alba, B. ‘Wayne County Form’; the creamy yellow-flowering species B. bracteata var. bracteata, B. bracteata var. leucophaea, B. 'Carolina Moonlight'; and the bright yellow-flowering species B. sphaerocarpa.

Freshly sown Baptisiaseeds germinate easily and quite fast...usually in two weeks. If seed pods are not removed from a plant in a timely manner, many seedlings will sprout the following spring. Baptisiacan also be propagated from stem cuttings. Most root easily in spring when the growth is soft, but the success rate drops off to zero as the plants harden. Cuttings should be dipped in a rooting hormone, then kept in high humidity until they root, usually about 8 weeks. You can divide Baptisiain early spring or fall, but care must be taken to make a deep and clean cut of the roots with a sharp spade and to provide abundant water upon transplanting.

Several selections of Baptisiaare blooming in the UT Gardens this month. Other great plants to enjoy in the gardens include numerous wild flowers, pansies, violas, tulips and hyacinths. The woody plants and trees such as flowering quince, viburnums, service berry, red bud, and dogwood should also be bursting with color.

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Dr. Susan Hamilton is an associate professor of ornamental horticulture in the University of Tennessee Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Systems and director of the UT Gardens. The UT Gardens are located on Neyland Drive in Knoxville. They are open seven days a week during daylight hours. Various selections of witch hazel are currently in bloom, and if temperatures warm, the pansies and violas should put on a colorful show.