Baptisia alba

RHS Plant Profile

white false indigo

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Synonyms

Baptisia australis 'Alba'
Baptisia pendula

Herbaceous Perennial

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An herbaceous perennial with grey-green foliage with three-parted leaves, and dark purple stems which turn blackish. Tall spikes of clear white flowers appear in the summer followed by black seed pods

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed
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): H7
Drought Resistance: Yes

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Fabaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Baptisia are perennials with branched stems bearing three-parted leaves and terminal or axillary racemes of pea flowers, followed by conspicuous inflated pods
Name Status: Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in a well drained humus rich soil

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame as soon as seed is ripe or propagate by division in early spring.

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Prairie planting
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut down once foliage has blackened with frost

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free