Enjoy baptisia's delicate blooms

Perfect partners
Pair baptisias with other perennials that bloom at the same time:

• Entire-leaved clematis (Clematis integrifolia and its cvs.) Zone 3
• Variegated Dalmatian iris (Iris pallida ‘Variegata’) Zone 4
• ‘Krinkled White’ peony (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Krinkled White’) Zone 4

Varieties

All measurements are height x width.

‘Wayne’s World’ baptisia (Baptisia alba var. alba ‘Wayne’s World’)
Zone 4, 1 m x 90 cm   
Description: Blue-green foliage, white flowers followed by green seed pods    Comments: Heat and humidity tolerant; selected from a wild population in Wayne County, North Carolina

Blue false indigo (B. australis)
Zone 3, 1 m x 80 cm   
Description: Grey-green foliage, pale to deep violet-blue flowers followed by brown to black seed pods
Comments: The hardiest and most widely grown baptisia; adaptable to many soil types

‘Carolina Moonlight’ baptisia (B. ‘Carolina Moonlight’)
Zone 5, 1.2 m x 85 cm
Description: Blue-green foliage, pale primrose-yellow flowers followed by grey-green seed pods
Comments: Excellent as a cut flower; introduced by the North Carolina Botanical Garden

‘Purple Smoke’ baptisia (B. ‘Purple Smoke’)
Zone 5, 1.2 m x 80 cm
Description: Grey-green foliage, violet-blue to purple flowers on black stems are followed by brown to black seed pods
Comments: Another recent introduction from the North Carolina Botanical Garden

‘Starlite’ baptisia (B. x bicolor ‘Starlite’ Prairieblues Series)
Zone 4, 85 x 80 cm
Description: Bright green foliage, pale blue flowers with creamy yellow bases followed by green seed pods
Comments: A lovely bicolour, recently introduced by the Chicago Botanic Garden

‘Twilite’ baptisia (B. x variicolor ‘Twilite’ Prairieblues Series)
Zone 4, 1.2 x 1 m
Description: Blue-green foliage, violet purple flowers with yellow markings followed by charcoal grey to black seed pods
Comments: The first baptisia hybrid to be introduced by the Chicago Botanic Garden

Read more in Plants and Native Plants and Wildflowers