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Indigofera himalayensis 'Silk Road'

Himalayan indigo 'Silk Road'

'Silk Road' is a small, deciduous shrub to 1.5m, with light green, pinnate leaves with small, rounded leaflets. Pea-like, lilac-pink flowers are produced in upright spikes from late spring to late summer

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Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
5–10 years
Ultimate spread
0.5–1 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Pink Green
Summer Pink Green
Autumn Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Fabaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus

Indigofera can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs, herbaceous perennials or annuals with pinnate leaves and spikes or racemes of small, pea-like flowers in summer or autumn

Name status

Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in containers in a cold frame in autumn or root softwood cuttings in late spring, semi-hardwood in early to mid-summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Coastal
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Low Maintenance
  • Banks and slopes
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders
Pruning

Pruning group 1 or Pruning group 13 if wall trained, but can be hard pruned in spring if needed

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility

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