No images found for this plant ID: 5325.
Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "5325" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.
wild indigo
Scientific Name: Baptisia
Family: Fabaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Wild Indigo: A Botanical Overview
This page provides information about various plants commonly known as Wild Indigo. Please note that the term "Wild Indigo" can refer to several different species within the Baptisia genus, each with unique characteristics.
Considerations for Pets
- Some species have a woody base.
- Seeds must be carefully handled when propagating.
Considerations for Children
- Some species have a woody base.
- Seeds must be carefully handled when propagating.
Scientific and Common Names
- Several species are commonly known as Wild Indigo, including Blue Wild Indigo and Blue False Indigo.
- One scientific name mentioned is Baptisia australis.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Wild Indigo belongs to the family Fabaceae (legumes).
- Synonyms for some species include:
- Baptisia gibbesii
- Podalyria tinctoria
- Sophora tinctoria
Distribution and Habitat
- Wild Indigo is native to much of central North America.
- It is common throughout the northeastern United States.
- It favors dry, poor soil in open areas.
- Specific mention of its presence in Kentucky and Maine.
Morphological Characteristics
- Wild Indigo is described as a perennial plant.
- Stems can reach 2 to 3 feet in height and are glabrous and branching.
- Some species are bushy and robust perennials, rising 2-4 ft. high from a woody base.
- Stems can be stout, often up to 3/8 inch at the base.
- Some plants may reach up to 70 inches in height.
- Flowers are often blue-purple and pea-like, congested in dense formations.
- White Wild Indigo has a long, loose, spike-like raceme of white pea-shaped flowers up to 1 inch long.
Ecological Role
- Yellow wild indigo is a host plant for caterpillars of the rare Lycaenid butterfly, frosted elfin (Callophrys irus).
- The Wild Indigo Duskywing is expanding its range by colonizing plantings of crown vetch along roadways and railroad beds.
Traditional and Medicinal Uses
- Wild Indigo has a long history of use as a medicinal plant.
- Historically, it has been used to treat infections and catarrh, especially in the ear.
- It has been used internally and externally to heal gingivitis and mouth ulcers.
- Blue and yellow wild indigo were used to produce a blue dye by Native Americans and settlers.