Perennial Plant of the Year: Baptista australis
The Perrenial Plant Association named their plant of the year for the coming 2010 season. This year the plant is Baptista australis, commonly known as False Blue Indigo.
I have never planted it, have you? It looks like something I could find a use for though, it has a nice color and as a clump I think it could be quite striking. What do you think? You like it? What have you planted it with that worked?
Risa Edelstein said,
December 21, 2009 @ 9:15 am
This is an amazing plant and I put it in many full sun gardens. It has great foliage, wonderful flowers and fabulous seed pods making it a plant that pays its dues in the garden. Not to mention that it is native!
Paul Hervey-Brookes said,
December 21, 2009 @ 10:02 am
I love this plant, from the first moment I saw it growing at Cotswold Garden Flowers, with Bob Brown I have been smitten.
Its so useful it complements so many plants or acts a show stopper itself. At the nursery I co-own we have it growing in our stock beds with Anthemis and Phaenosperma, even when not in flower the leaf texture, shape and colours all work fantastically well together. What are you going to grow it with, thats going to be the question!
Joseph Tychonievich said,
December 21, 2009 @ 10:28 am
Baptisia is quite nice — they are like lupines but not as picky — taking just about any kind of conditions you can throw at them. The flowers are nice, and the leaves are quite attractive as well. One comment: They tend to be a little bare at the bottom of the plant, so they look good with something in front of them to cover up the undressed legs.
Sheila H said,
December 22, 2009 @ 10:22 am
I love baptisia! My purple baptisia looks great next to my William Baffin climbing rose in bloom. The only downfall is that they only bloom for about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks early spring, like the peony. But like the others have said, it has great foliage and the seed pods are interesting. The seed pods turn black and in the wind, they sound like rattlesnakes. I just bought a Screamin’ Yellow one last spring. I’m hoping to get my hands on a burgundy one – Twilight Prairieblues this spring. Once planted, they do not like to be moved. Their size is like a peony – 3′ – 4′ round mound. I have sedum planted at the base of my purple baptisia.
Shelby Wagonmaker said,
June 26, 2011 @ 8:45 pm
I planted a Baptista appoximately 40 years ago and it is beautiful and doing very well.
Carol said,
October 25, 2011 @ 11:21 am
We love our baptista; gorgeous color, unusual and lovely leaves…it grows like hosta, circularly…and we share the pods for seeds with other gardeners. You can never be sorry you found, or bought, or got…a baptista. Wonderful. Just brought in leaves to enhance another fall bouquet.
In spring we used the deep indigo blooms for centerpieces at a bridal shower. Wonderful response. So pretty and again, unusual looking, smells great.
Loving a plant, great part of life