White Wild Indigo (Baptisia alba)

White Wild Indigo (Baptisia alba)

White Wild Indigo is the plant that first got me interested in native plants years ago. In late spring to early summer, it sends up tall spires of soft, creamy white flowers. The blooms rise cleanly above blue-green foliage, bringing light into the garden just as early spring plants are fading and summer hasn’t fully taken over yet.

After flowering, the plant really comes into its own. The foliage forms a full, rounded mound that holds its shape all season, and by late summer it develops dark, inflated seed pods that add texture and movement well into fall. 

White Wild Indigo is long-lived and slow to settle in, but once established it’s extremely resilient. Because of its deep tap root, it dislikes being moved.

Growing Conditions

Light: Full sun
Soil: Dry to medium, well-drained
Height: 3–5 feet
Spread: 3–4 feet, clump-forming
Zones: 3–9
Bloom time: May through June

Wildlife Value

White Wild Indigo supports native bees and other pollinators and serves as a host plant for several butterfly and moth species. Like other members of the pea family, it also fixes nitrogen in the soil, quietly improving conditions for nearby plants.

Blooms Alongside

Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum), Wild lupine (Lupinus perennis), Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus), Meadow Anemone (Anemone Canadensis)

For more information, please check out our sizes, pricing and ordering page.