Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis)Blooming from late spring to early summer, wild indigo features tall spikes of deep blue-purple flowers that resemble pea blossoms, followed by distinctive black seed pods. Native to North America, this hardy perennial grows slowly but lives long, thriving in sunny prairies and open woodlands. A host plant for several butterfly species and a magnet for native bees, it is an ecologically valuable addition to native plant gardens.
Wild indigo was historically used in a medicinal capacity by Native American groups and early settlers, both as an antiseptic, and to treat infections and respiratory issues.