Plains Wild Indigo
Baptisia bracteata
Summary 3
Baptisia bracteata, otherwise known as longbract wild indigo, long-bract wild indigo, long-bracted wild indigo, and cream false indigo, is a perennial herbaceous plant that is native to the central and eastern United States. It is one of the earliest blooming species of Baptisia, beginning to bloom in March in certain areas of the United States. The bloom color ranges from white to creamy yellow. The flower clusters (racemes) spread out sideways or sprawl across the ground.
Description 4
Family:
Fabaceae (Pea)
Height:
2 to 2.5 feet
Leaves:
Hairy and alternate with three leaflets up to 3 inches long
Flower:
Large creamy white pea-like flowers in a spike-like cluster at the top of the stem. Flowers turn into black pods that remain throughout the winter.
Bloom time:
May-June
Nicknames:
Cream Wild Indigo, False Wild Indigo, Long-Bract Wild Indigo
Habitat:
Prairies and open upland woods in full sun or part shade
Wildlife Benefits:
Attractive to bumblebees, butterflies, and moths.
Can I plant this in my garden?
Plains wild indigo grows easily from seed. It is on Minnesota’s Special Concern list due to habitat loss, and gardeners are encouraged to plant it.
References:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/plains-wild-indigo
https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/cr_indigox.htm
Range 4
Sources and Credits
- (c) Joshua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/74215305@N00/447560897
- (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, all rights reserved, uploaded by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District
- Adapted by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptisia_bracteata
- (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
- iNat taxon page
- Biodiversity Heritage Library
- BOLD Systems BIN search
- eFloras.org
- Flora of North America (beta)
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
- Go Botany
- HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
- IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
- NatureServe Explorer 2.0
- SEINet Symbiota portals
- Tropicos
- USDA PLANTS database
- World Flora Online
iNat Map
| Family | Fabaceae |
|---|---|
| Habit | Forb |
| Origin | native |
| Life cycle | perennial |
| Flower | white |
| Listing | state special concern |
| Bloom time | (5) May, (6) June |
| *sites | Lake Phalen, Snail Lake |
