False Indigo Bush
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Also known as Indigo Bush, False Indigo Bush, False Indigo, Desert False Indigo.
False indigo is a lovely deciduous shrub that usually reaches heights between 4 to 12 feet, and on rare occasions, it can grow up to 20 feet tall. It spreads out more than it grows tall, creating a beautiful garden presence. This delightful plant is native to the cozy habitats of moist open woodlands, floodplains, stream banks, and the margins of swamps, stretching from central and eastern Canada right down to northern Mexico. The leaves are compound and oddly pinnate, featuring oval to elliptic leaflets that display a dull gray-green color with charming glandular dots and smooth edges. Each leaf showcases 11 to 35 leaflets with spiny tips that add character.
From May to June, you can enjoy the sight of tubular scented flowers, which bloom in delightful, dense spike-shaped clusters, reaching up to 3/8 inch long. These stunning flowers are predominantly purple, sporting a single-petaled corolla and ten protruding stamens adorned with bright orange-yellow anthers. Come July and August, the fruits mature into small pods sprinkled with resinous dots, each containing 1 to 2 seeds. Amorpha fruticosa, or lead plant, can grow quite a bit larger.
False indigo thrives best in average, medium to wet, well-drained soils and enjoys basking in full sun to light shade. It's quite resilient, tolerating occasional flooding and even poorer sandy soils that are somewhat dry. This adaptable plant has a way of spreading through self-seeding and by sending out suckers to form thickets. It can be classified as weedy or invasive in certain areas, especially in the northeastern and northwestern U.S. For the best results and to keep its charming shape, it's a good idea to prune it during late winter or early spring.
BONAP MAP
Height: 4’-12'
Spread 4’-15’
Bloom: April-June
Light: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Medium, High
Zone: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Origin: Southern United States
Deer Resistant: No
Spring Shipping:
Orders are shipped within 7-10 business days. We will email you if there are expected delays.
When you order plants from our nursery, you can expect them to arrive in the best possible condition. Our team carefully packs each order using sturdy, biodegradable packaging materials.
Your plants' appearance may vary depending on the season and their current growth stage. We may cut back the leafy growth of some plants to prepare them for shipment and transplanting.
5 Gallon and Up: Any plant purchased to ship over 5 Gallons will be shipped bare root. This means we will remove the plant from its original pot, remove the soil surrounding the roots, and wrap the roots with a biodegradable plastic bag. This reduces weight and the likelihood of damage during shipping.
Once your plants arrive, it is essential to plant them as soon as possible. This will help them rebound and thrive. If you cannot plant immediately, water regularly and keep the roots off heat-conducting surfaces.
Newly transplanted plants often require more water until their roots are well established. Plan to water them 1-3 times weekly for the first few months.
