Also known as Indigo Bush, False Indigo Bush, False Indigo, Desert False Indigo.
False Indigo Bush is a lovely deciduous shrub that usually reaches heights between 4 to 12 feet, and on rare occasions, it can grow up to 20 feet tall. It spreads out more than it grows tall, creating a beautiful garden presence. This delightful plant is native to the cozy habitats of moist open woodlands, floodplains, stream banks, and the margins of swamps, stretching from central and eastern Canada right down to northern Mexico. In the hotter southern portion of its native range, False Indigo Bush is well suited for shady spots.
The leaves are compound and oddly pinnate, featuring oval to elliptic leaflets that display a dull gray-green color with charming glandular dots and smooth edges. Each leaf showcases 11 to 35 leaflets with spiny tips that add character.
From May to June, you can enjoy the sight of tubular scented flowers, which bloom in delightful, dense spike-shaped clusters, reaching up to 3/8 inch long. These stunning flowers are predominantly purple, sporting a single-petaled corolla and ten protruding stamens adorned with bright orange-yellow anthers. Come July and August, the fruits mature into small pods sprinkled with resinous dots, each containing 1 to 2 seeds. Amorpha fruticosa, or lead plant, can grow quite a bit larger.
False Indigo Bush thrives best in average, medium to wet, well-drained soils and enjoys basking in full sun to light shade. It’s quite resilient, tolerating occasional flooding and even poorer sandy soils that are somewhat dry. Once established, it has surprisingly good drought tolerance.
This adaptable plant has a way of spreading through self-seeding and by sending out suckers to form thickets. It can be classified as weedy or invasive in certain areas, especially in the northeastern and northwestern U.S. For the best results and to keep its charming shape, it’s a good idea to prune it during late winter or early spring.
BONAP MAP
Height: 4’-12′ Spread 4’-15’ Bloom: April-June Light: Full Sun-Dappled Shade Water: Low-High Zone: 4-9 Origin: Southern United States
