Indigofera himachalensis

RHS Plant Profile

Himalayan indigo

Synonyms

Indigofera hancockii misapplied

Shrubs

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A spreading, deciduous shrub with arching stems, up to 0.9 -1.2m in the open but taller when grown against a wall. The bright, purplish rose flowers are produced in short racemes from early summer to early autumn, contrasting with the pinnate, grey-green leaves

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 1-1.5 metres
Max Height: 1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Fabaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Spreading branched
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: Correct
Plant Range: Himalaya

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

Cottage and informal garden
Coastal
City and courtyard gardens
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