Illustrative photo.
Baptisia x variicolor PRAIRIEBLUES™ 'TWILITE' false indigo
size/type
tall perennial,tall perennial
usual height
1-1,5m
usual width
1-2m
leaves
deciduous broadleaf
colour of leaves
flowers
showy
colour of flowers
blooming time
June-July
location
full to partial sun
soil type
any (acidic to alkaline)
USDA zone (lowest)
4 (down to -34°C)
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Baptisia
Baptisia – false indigo is a tough and long-lived perennial native to S.E. USA and E. North America. The genus comprises of about 20 species which grow mostly in dry and sunny locations. In Europe it was almost absent until the end of the second millennium. But at the turn of the century it slowly became available in garden centres where mostly hybrids combining the best of each species are offered. These tall perennials exhibit a longevity of 15-20 years and make a stunning display of erect, lupine-like inflorescence.Description of the plant:
Twilite is a unique bi-coloured false indigo hybrid variety, a cross between b. australis and b. sphareocarpa. Its pea-like flowers are composed in about 40-50 cm long, erect racemes, and combine smokey blue and pale yellow colour. Blooming usually begins in late June in C.E. climate and lasts 2-3 weeks. Twilite is a gigantic variety that reaches some 1.5m tall and 1.5-2m wide in maturity so think twice before you choose its location in your perennial bed. Palmate leaves are divided into 3 ovate, pale green to almost blue-green leaflets. It was bred by James R. Ault in 1998 and patented as PP19011 in 2008.False indigo has just one disadvantage – it is extremely slow to establish hence its high retail price. But once it does it multiplies the number of stems year after year and makes almost a shrub-like appearance owing to which it is often used as a companion plant among non-flowering shrubs and small trees. It was voted Perennial of the Year 2019 by the Czech Perennial Association.
Baptisia needs full sun and warm soil. It is not picky about soil pH but requires well-drained ground. Sand and gravel do miracles as they warm up the soil by getting rid of all excess water. Feeding is not required. In late autumn or early spring remove all stems just above ground level. Hardy to min. -34 °C (USDA zone 4), perhaps a few degrees lower.
Last update 07-07-2021
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GLOSSARY
- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
