Like Daylilies, neat clumps of False Indigo often remain for years after a garden has been abandoned. They store energy in deep taproots, so they take 2-3 years to reach a mature size. It is best to remove the top third of the plant after flowering to encourage compact growth. It is truly a stunning display when blooming in mid-spring.
Charcoal grey stems add additional contrast to the milky white flowers.
The blue-green foliage appears 1' up the stalk and invites underplanting with spring bulbs and Virginia Bluebells. If you like shades of blue in the garden, you will want to include this showy native. Cherokee people used B. australis to make a blue dye and drank a tea of Baptisia for toothaches. With a taproot that goes to China and an iron constitution, this species loves well-drained, lean and gravelly soils. It has the strengths of both species.