Baptisia Australis is a hardy, native perennial plant that makes a showy addition to any garden or border. Growing 3-4’ tall, Baptisia features lupine-like flowers that are traditionally deep to medium purple, which looks striking against its dusty blue-green clover-shaped foliage. Baptisia Australis has been used in textile dyes for centuries. The plant’s sap turns a deep blue, and the color can also be extracted from its roots (the color is lighter than true indigo, Indigo tinctoria, which is what traditionally gives blue jeans their color). After it blooms in the spring, flowers turn into large charcoal-black seed pods that add interest to dried floral arrangements, as well as make fun nature-made rattles!
