false indigo

Plant Type

Shrub (less than 10 ft)

Life Cycle

Perennial

Typical Size

6-12 ft. tall
6-15 ft. wide

Tolerant of

Deer, Occasional Flooding

Propagation

By seed, By cutting

Plant Propagation Notes

Seed should be scarified or nick the seed coat and then soak in hot water.

Plant Planting Notes

Provide up to 12 ft spacing.

Plants/Diseases

Mildly susceptible to leaf spot, powdery mildew, rust, and twig canker.

Wildlife Benefits

Nectar/pollen source for pollinating insects, Host plant for butterfly larvae, Nectar source for hummingbirds

Leaves

Fragrant, velvety compound leaves with an alternate arrangement.

Flowers

Fragrant, tubular purple inflorescence.

Fruit

Showy copper brown in the fall.

Toxicity

No known toxicity.

USDA Hardiness Zones

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Light Exposure

Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade

Soil Moisture

Moist

Soil Drainage

Well-drained, Poorly Drained

Soil pH

Acidic (less than 6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Native in South Carolina?

Yes

Plant Native Habitat

Mesic to wet habitats along river banks or in forests and woodlands.

Global Conservation Status (NatureServe)

Secure (G5)

Federal Conservation Status (USFWS)

Not Listed

Distribution Notes

Common in the South Carolina coastal plain, sandhills, and piedmont. Rare in the mountains.