Description Native to the United States, false indigos (Baptisia) produce large, spiky flower clusters in late spring to early summer, atop bushy plants that eventually reach 3 to 5 feet tall in bloom. Full sun for best flowering. Perennial; Zones 3 to 9. Years ago, I collected and sowed seeds from a light purple selection known as ‘Purple Smoke’ that was growing close to pale yellow ‘Carolina Moonlight’, blue Baptisia australis, and bright yellow B. sphaerocarpa. The seedlings flowered for the first time in the spring of 2019, much to the delight of my resident bumblebees, who happily carried the pollen between the various plants as they worked the blooms. The photo above shows the range of flower colors I ended up with on these natural hybrids: a variety of blues as well as yellows, peach, copper, and white, as well as bicolors. The plants had a range of habits (from low and bushy to more narrowly upright), and a few had dark stems. Since then, I have grown out a couple of generations of these seeds and have been very pleased with their offspring, which have produced even more colors and bicolors. I collected the seeds for sale here from what I considered the most interesting and colorful of these open-pollinated plants. I can’t guarantee what colors you will end up with, though. If you want a specific flower color, you’re best off buying a flowering plant of a named cultivar. But if you have space to fill and like surprises, I think you’ll enjoy growing out these seeds as much as I have. Collected in late July 2025. At least 20 seeds. Unknown ecotype (natural hybrids). Shipping to U.S. addresses only. Please read the germination information as well before ordering.
