Multiple Award Winner
By Ann Lapides
The fantastic Missouri and Illinois native, Wild Blue Indigo, Baptisia australis, brings stunning color and form to the landscape with showy racemes of pea-shaped indigo-blue flowers in late spring and early summer. Showy black seed pods follow the flowers and look fabulous in dried arrangements. Additionally, its ornamental blue-green foliage looks great all year and makes a stunning backdrop for other plants. Its exceptional performance and beauty have earned it top awards. A top ecological asset for the St. Louis, Missouri area, it supports butterflies and bees, adds nitrogen to the soil, and stabilizes soils.
Wild Blue Indigo, Baptisia australis thrives in the Midwest. It is a carefree and easy-to-grow perennial that prefers full sun. Moreover, it stands up to the St. Louis, Missouri metro area’s kooky weather, including high heat and humidity, and bitter cold winters. Wild Blue Indigo grows in most soils and thrives in clay and shallow, rocky soils. Its long tap root makes it drought tolerant. Carefully plan where to plant this beauty, as plants do not like to be moved once established. A top plant to attract all kinds of pollinators.
Awards and Recognitions: 2026 Native Plant of the Year; Perennial Plant Association Perennial Plant of the Year; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant of Merit. Wild Blue Indigo is a featured plant in the Missouri Prairie Foundation Grow Native Pollinator Buffet program, a collection of plants identified as important to pollinators.
For more information, visit Sugar Creek Gardens plant nursery located in Kirkwood, or visit the website www.sugarcreekgardens.com.
Sugar Creek Gardens
1011 N Woodlawn
Kirkwood MO 63122
314-965-3070
sugarcreekgardens.com