Blue wild indigo
Also known as: blue false indigo
Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Erect, stout, glabrous, waxy, widely spreading branches.
- Leaves
- Alternate, on stalks 1/4 to 3/4 inch long, 3-foliolate; stipules lanceolate, 1/4 to 3/4 inch long, tips pointed; leaflets oblanceolate to oval, 1 to 2 inches long, 1/4 to 1 inch wide; bases narrowed; tips blunt.
- Inflorescence
- Racemes, erect, 4 to 20 inches long, loosely flowered, terminal.
- Flower
- On very short stalks; bracts lanceolate, often absent by flowering; calyces 2-lipped, glabrous; corollas papilionaceous, indigo-blue to purple, about 1 inch long; banner prominent, tip notched; stamens 10, separate.
- Fruit
- Pods, oblong, 1 to 2.5 inch long, inflated, dark brown to blackish, beaked; seeds small, black.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Rocky prairies, hillsides, open woods, and roadsides, most abundant in limestone or clay soils.
- Distribution
- East 3/4 of Kansas.
Additional Notes
Comments
When mature, loose seeds in the pods will rattle in the wind. The sap of blue wild indigo turns purple or slate color when exposed to air.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Fabaceae - Bean Family
- Life Span
- Perennial
- Height
- 1-4 feet
- Last Updated
- 2007-09-18
Color Groups
Blue, Purple, Lavender & Violet Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: May, June