Baptisia australis on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Although it is not in full bloom I thought I would show you a beautiful plant with  violet blue lupine like flowers. Not only are the flowers this intense colour but the stems of the plant are also.  The plant is called Baptisia australis or Blue False Indigo.  It is the 2010 Perennial Plant of the Year for 2010 chosen by the Perennial Plant Association.   Baptisia is a plant native to North America that is home in any style of garden from cottage garden to meadow or prairie garden.  It grows 3-4 ft tall and can be 3 to 4 ft wide if it is happy in the garden. Flower arrangers love the charcoal black seed pods for use in flower design.  It loves the sun or partial shade in a well drained soil. This plant is drought tolerant after become established which is good here in this garden.  The plant has no serious insect or disease problems.

 The Native American natives used the Baptisia as a treatment for snakebite, bathe cuts and wounds.  The Colonists used the plant for a dye in their textiles.  This plant is in the family of legumes so fixes nitrogen in the soil through specialiazed nodes in the roots.

In this International Year of Biodiversity sanctioned by the United nations to reduce the constant loss of biological diversity world wide the Baptisia is a magnet for Sulphur butterflies and the Gray Hairstreak.  If you have not tried this plant in your garden do look for it at your local nursery.  To find more garden blooms join in Garden Bloggers Bloom Day at MayDreamsGardens here.  Happy Gardening.