White False Indigo (Baptisia Alba Var. Macrophylla)

Features and Characteristics

Baptisia alba commonly called white false indigo, is an upright perennial which typically grows 2-3’ tall and occurs in dry woods from Tennessee and North Carolina to Florida. It features small, white, pea-like flowers (to 1/2” long) in erect racemes (to 12”) atop dark flower stems extending well above a foliage mound of clover-like, trifoliate, bluish-green leaves (leaflets to 2” long). Blooms in spring. Flowers give way to inflated seed pods (to 1 3/4” long) which turn brown to black when ripe and have considerable ornamental interest. Stems with seed pods are valued additions to dried flower arrangements.

Baptisia alba var. macrophylla is a Missouri native. It typically grows 2-3′ (less frequently to 5′) tall and occurs in prairies, open woods, glades, waste areas and along streambanks throughout the State. It is the tallest of the Missouri native baptisias. Features white, lupine-like flowers in erect racemes (to 12″) atop flower spikes extending well above a foliage mound of clover-like, trifoliate, bluish-green leaves (leaflets to 3″ long). Variety name means large-leafed. Synonymous with Baptisia leucantha and Baptisia lactea.

The genus name Baptisia comes from the Greek word bapto meaning “to dye”.

Specific epithet means white.

The common name of false indigo refers to the use of certain native baptisias by early American colonists as a substitutes, albeit inferior, for true indigo (genus Indigofera) in making dyes.