About

This herbaceous perennial reaches a height of up to 1.2 meters, showcasing grey-green, trifoliate foliage. It produces upright racemes of violet-blue flowers that resemble those of lupines. After flowering, the plant bears inflated, dark grey seed pods.

About the genus

Baptisia are perennial plants characterized by branched stems that support trifoliate leaves. They produce racemes of pea-like flowers either at the ends of the stems or in the leaf axils, which are succeeded by noticeable inflated seed pods.

Growing conditions

Sunlight

Full sun

Soil type

Loam, Sand

Soil pH

Acid, Neutral

Soil moisture

Well-drained

Aspect

South-facing, West-facing, East-facing

Exposure

Exposed

UK hardiness

H7

Plant details

Plant type

Herbaceous Perennial

Habit

Clump forming

Foliage

Deciduous

Height

1-1.5 metres

Spread

0.5-1 metres

Time to full height

2-5 years

Suggested uses

Cottage and informal garden, Prairie planting, Wildlife gardens

Native to

E USA

Care notes

Cultivation

Grow in open, porous, preferably sandy soil in full sun; drought resistant once roots have penetrated the soil. Best left undisturbed, although vigorous clumps may be carefully divided in spring.

Pruning

Cut down once foliage has blackened

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame as soon as seed is ripe or propagate by division in early spring

Pest resistance

Generally pest-free

Disease resistance

Generally disease-free