Perennial of the Month-- June 2008 

(bap-TEASE-ee-ah) (pronunciation at link, turn up volume if too low)

Common name: Purple Smoke false indigo

Family: Fabaceae, Pea

Height x width: 3-4 ft. high and wide

Growth rate, habit:  slow, upright

Foliage: resembles large clover, pea-like, 3-parted compound, alternate, gray-green on charcoal green stems when mature

Flowers: dusty purple or smoky violet florets to 1in. wide in spikes (terminal racemes) 6-9in. long usually, but possibly to 12in., 5 but generally more flowers per raceme; opening from bottom to top, racemes erect but slightly arching above foliage; April (south) to June (north); bean-like attractive seed pods 2-3in. long in late season; may have 50 flower stalks or more when mature

Hardiness: USDA zones 4-9

Soil: well-drained average loam, tolerates drought once established (with deep taproot); grows best in infertile, acidic soils

Light: sun prefered, tolerates part shade (less blooms)

Pests and problems: none serious

Landscape habit, uses: massed, borders, prairie and meadow gardens, naturalized borders, shrub hedge; underplant with daffodils and hardy geraniums, and interplant with ornamental grasses such as moor grass, feather reed grass, or switchgrass; interplant with New England asters, tall garden phlox, and false lupine (Thermopsis)

Other interest: selected in 1996 by Rob Gardner of the NC Botanical Garden and introduced by Niche Gardens (NC), from a seedling bed with possible parents of alba (stem color), minor, and australis (blue flowers); native; common name from use of species australis by native Americans for blue dye which was inferior to true indigo dye (from Indigofera), and genus name too refers to this property from Greek "bapto" meaning "to dye"; flowers resemble lupines; deer resistant

Other culture: with taproot hard to transplant once established; may take 3 years to reach mature size and become established; may need staking if too fertile, or if too shady

Propagation: cuttings, a hybrid so wont come true from seeds

Sources:  many specialty local, mail order, or online perennial nurseries