Baptisia alba
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White Wild Indigo
Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Flower | |
| Size: | 2-5 ft tall by 2-4 ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | White | |
| Fruit Color: | Green,black | |
| Phenology: | Winter dormant. Flowers March-May. | |
| Noted for: | Showy flowers |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Treat as a small shrub or use as a background plant in a wildflower garden. Can make a nice but tall border plant. Its flowers are more visible if planted against something that gives them contrast such as a dark fence. Assets include its long racemes of white flowers and its leafy, rounded foliage. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | Toxic to livestock and humans. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed (scarification beneficial but not required) or division of roots at the crown. Not tolerant of root disturbance once its root system has become established, so best planted as seed or small potted plant where is to remain. Requires several years to reach maturity. Seeds are available through the Florida Wildflowers Growers Cooperative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Clay, Loam, Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Acidic to circum-neutral | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
Deer and rabbits browse the foliage, and as a legume it provides nutritious, protein-rich food. | |
| Insects: | Larval host for wild indigo duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae) and Zarucco duskywing (Erynnis zarucco) butterflies. Pollinated by bumble bees. | |
| Native Habitats: | Sandhill |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 9A
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| General Comments: | This plant is a legume and its roots have nitrogen-fixing nodules on them. It is useful on nutrient poor soils. |