Blue
Wild Indigo
Family: Leguminosae (Pea family)
Genus: Baptisia
Species: australis
 The
other day I was asked how I decide which plant to write about
in this column. Sometimes I answer a reader’s request,
or I see a new plant in the local garden centers and figure
you’d like to know more about it. Or I read useful
information about a good plant--or a bad one--and try to
pass it on. Other times the reason might simply be that there’s
an interesting story behind the plant or its name.
So nominations
for Plant of the Month are always open to all, but some plants
seem to want the “award” more than
others. Six weeks or more before the month in question, they
start jumping up and down and waving their stems--figuratively
speaking, of course--as if to say, “Pick me! Pick me!”
That’s been the case with Baptisia
australis. It’s
managed to put itself, its name, and interesting bits of its
story in front of me--and others--countless times recently.
That’s not really surprising, because it’s an easy-care,
tall, attractive perennial. Plus, it’s hardy, tough,
and useful for erosion control. It’s a native plant--natives
are all the rage now--and classified as endangered in some
states and of “special concern” in others. It carries
the endorsement of the Federal Highway Administration as suitable
for roadside planting in more than a few states. Several other
noteworthy organizations and agencies recommend B. australis for use in native landscapes.
B.
australis
was collected by native people and used for medicine and
dye
long before the US was born. It was given its European
name during colonial times. Baptisia australis presented an
affordable alternative but was still considered a poor substitute
for Indigofera tinctoria, the plant introduced from south Asia
and cultivated by many landowners as a source of highly marketable
blue dye. In those days, B. australis was widely known by the
common name “bastard indigo.”
Baptisia derives from the Greek word for “dipping,” probably
because of the way the individual flowers dip along the length
of their upright, common stem. The only relationship between
Australia and B. australis is etymological. They share as their
roots the Latin word for “south.”
B.
australis is definitely one of our native plants; but it’s
important to remember that this plant is native to the southeastern US, not to the Pacific Northwest. We all know that “natives” are
not equally worthy nor automatically suitable for all areas
of this continent. But B. australis seems to be one that is
likely to thrive here because it likes our growing conditions
quite well. Exactly how well it’s suited to our area
is something I try to find out about where every Plant of the
Month is concerned. Over the years many exotic plants suited
to our region have turned out to be at least nuisances and
at worst noxious. [I’m particularly sensitive about this
right now because I’m in the midst of digging out the
tenacious results of planting one Alchemilla mollis--Lady’s
Mantle--twelve years ago.] But there are many more egregious
examples of “pretty plants” liking us too much.
Purple loosestrife. English ivy. Even buddleia and some euphorbias.
Baptisia has many attributes that put up red flags with “invasive” written
all over them. It’s a member of the pea family, a decidedly
promiscuous bunch. It’s tough and it survives most harsh
conditions, from cold to drought. So--I ask myself as I write
the column--could it pose a danger to our native vegetation?
The first
place I go for answers is the PLANTS database located at
http://plants.usda.gov/.
There I find lots of information
about a given plant, including whether it’s considered
to be any degree of noxious by any entity in the country. At
the same site I’ll find the Natural Resources Conservation
Service (USDA) Plant Guide for B. australis and I’ll
learn more about the plant than there’s room for in just
one column. Finally, I’ll call Laurel Baldwin to find
out what she’s heard through her grapevine.
Only then
will I venture to commercial sites, where I’ll
read of the virtues of Baptisia--Taller! More vigorous! Deeper
blue flowers! Flowers of yellow, lavender, and chocolate! Funny,
there won’t be mention of any vices. Actually, in the
case of B. australis it appears there are none. Apparently
it has no inclination to take over and push other plants out.
Still, in its native habitat its germination rate is low because
there’s a certain parasitic weevil that eats out the
insides of B. australis seeds. That little weevil doesn’t
live here.
What will
happen when Baptisia escapes the weevil’s
control? Sounds like the teaser for a B movie, doesn’t
it? But to me, true stories about the many interesting things
in our interconnected world are more gripping than the best
bad-movie plot imaginable.
When I called Laurel
Baldwin I learned she’s not heard
a disparaging word about Baptisia australis. I also learned
about a new booklet she recommends: GARDEN WISE Noninvasive
Plants for Your Garden. Members of the new Master Gardener
class get copies, but veterans can have them too. They’re
great to take with you to that next garden talk. For copies,
just call Laurel at 360.354.3990.
Image
used with permission
copyright (c) saya 2006
http://davesgarden.com/members/saya |
