Safeplants

Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "5135" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.

Baptisia calycosa (Florida Wild Indigo)

Baptisia calycosa, commonly known as Florida wild indigo or Canby's wild indigo, is a flowering plant species belonging to the pea family, Fabaceae.

The text mentions that this plant is on a list of "Potentially Poisonous Florida Plant Species".

Scientific Name: Baptisia calycosa Canby
Common Names: Florida wild indigo, white wild indigo, white false indigo, Canby's wild indigo, hairy Florida wild-indigo, bigpod wild indigo
Family: Fabaceae (Bean Family or Legume Family)
Taxonomic Rank: Species
Synonyms:
- Baptisia alba (likely referring to taxonomic confusion with White Wild Indigo)
- Baptisia lactea (likely referring to taxonomic confusion with White Wild Indigo)
- Baptisia leucantha (likely referring to taxonomic confusion with White Wild Indigo)

Baptisia calycosa is native to Florida and occurs nowhere else.
Other species like Baptisia alba (White Wild Indigo) are native to the eastern and central U.S., from Virginia south to Florida, west to Texas.
Another species Baptisia tinctoria can be found from Maine to Florida and west to Minnesota.
Its range includes southwest Georgia, southeast Alabama, and the adjacent Florida Panhandle.
Prefers dry soils.

Threatened by logging.
Baptisia tinctoria plants host caterpillars of Frosted Elfin, Wild Indigo Duskywing, and Orange Sulfur butterflies.

Wild indigo has long been sought after for its natural anti-septic properties.
Historically used for medicinal properties by Native Americans.
Blue false indigo (Baptisia australis) and yellow wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) were used to produce a blue dye by both Native Americans and settlers.

Hosts caterpillars of several butterfly species (when referring to other baptisia species).