My Baptisias are starting to bloom. Please share your photos.

Baptisia 'Lemon Meringue' 5/2021 Baptisia- (Hans Hansen 2011) False Indigo Baptisia, Mature size: 38x56", Lemon yellow, USDA Hardiness Zone 4, Michigan Bloom Month 6a, In Garden Bed S4 for 7.9 YEARS (Hallson). Planted in 2013.

Mt.Cuba Center: Baptisia 'Lemon Meringue' is a vigorous cultivar that demonstrated significant
increases in the number of stems and inflorescences year after year. This ability to produce a mature plant faster than other selections is a valuable attribute among a generally slow-growing genus. 'Lemon Meringue' has an impressive floral display that lasts for three weeks, with gray stems and flower buds that help accentuate the sunshine-yellow flowers. The flower color of 'Lemon Meringue' is lighter than 'Screamin' Yellow', 'Sunny Morning', and 'Anne' but darker than 'Carolina Moonlight'. 'Lemon Meringue' is a medium-sized cultivar that measures 38"h x 56"w at flowering and maintains a lush, broadly vase-shaped habit all season.

Slightly smaller than the blue ones. Vase-shaped mound of blue-green foliage topped with long, charcoal stems. Lemon yellow flowers in late spring to early summer, then seed pods in fall. 2011 Hans Hansen hybrid. Decadence™ 'Lemon Meringue' Planted in 2013. Fall gray. Mt. Cuba rating 4.8. Measured 42x48" in 2020.

Photo by F.D.Richards, SE Michigan. Additional photos of this plant from 2015, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21:

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I have a few that are blooming now.

Solar Flare


Pink Lemonade

Pink Lemonade is quite unique. I like it. I think I need it:)

I know you need it! I have 3 in my gardens. This is the fullest one.

Baptisia 'Whisperin Yellow' 5/2021 Baptisia- (Growing Wild Nursery) yellow False Indigo Baptisia, Mature size: 30x60", yellow, USDA Hardiness Zone 5, Michigan Bloom Month 5c, In Garden Bed V3 for 357 DAYS (GrowingWild). Planted in 2020.

Growing Wild Nursery: Baptisia 'Whisperin' Yellow' was created at Growing Wild Nursery and is a primary hybrid between Baptisia sphaerocarpa 'Screamin' Yellow' (pollen parent) and a Baptisia alba (seed parent) from Wayne County, NC provenance. It inherits its compact growth habit and abundant flowers from Screamin' Yellow and its long flower spikes from alba. Plants are grown from cuttings here at the nursery.

Photo by F.D.Richards, SE Michigan. Additional photos of this plant from 2021:

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Baptisia x variicolor 'Twilite'

False Indigo Baptisia

Pink Lemonade still small and not blooming this year

I like the color of the blooms on Twilite!

These are spectacular! Are they something one can grow from seeds?

purpleinopp said:These are spectacular! Are they something one can grow from seeds?

Yes, I believe you can grow them from seed.

Baptisia 'Brownie Points' 6/2021 Baptisia- (Hans Hansen) False Indigo Baptisia, Mature size: 36x40", caramel-brown flowers (aka yellow), USDA Hardiness Zone 3, Michigan Bloom Month 6a, In Garden Bed U2 for 3.8 YEARS (Hallson). Planted in 2017.

Chicago Botanic Garden: Brownie Points false indigo represents a color breakthrough in the breeding program from Walters Gardens. The blooms are a warm amber color with a touch of yellow at the base of each flower.

Members of the genus Baptisia are commonly known as wild or false indigo due to their use by early Americans as a blue dye. Although "indigo" is in the common name, the blooms of native species may be blue, yellow or white and the blooms of newer hybrids may include lavenders and bi-colors. The late spring or early summer flowers emerge along long stems held above attractive foliage and are followed in the fall by dark pods. Overall habits of the plant are broad-rounded mounds to vase-shaped and range in height from two to five feet. Baptisia are considered easy-to-grow, sun-loving, long-lived perennials with very good drought

Baptisia 'Brownie Points' has unusual caramel-brown flowers with a yellow keel, flowering on 10in. spikes in June above a bushy, rounded clump. It grows 3 to 3 1/2' high and wide. (PP#26624)

In its third year (2020), it really looks strong. Good color and many stems. Measures 40x40 inches. I am not sure it is a color breakthrough, but I really like the color.

Brownie Points is pretty! I can see this is going to be a tempting thread! Now I have two on my want list.

[quote="purpleinopp"]These are spectacular! Are they something one can grow from seeds? [/quote

Yes, I have a few that have seeded out.

Baptisia 'Purple Smoke' 5/2021 Baptisia- (Gardner NC) False Indigo Baptisia, Mature size: 36x48", dusty purple, USDA Hardiness Zone 3, Michigan Bloom Month 5c, In Garden Bed G2 for 7.9 YEARS (Hallson). Planted in 2013.

Mt.Cuba Center: Baptisia 'Purple Smoke' is one of the oldest hybrid cultivars of false indigo, and it still remains one of the best for the home garden. Its charcoal-gray stems are beautiful when emerging from the soil and the gray color persists through flowering, creating a fine complement to the pale lavender flowers. A unique feature of 'Purple Smoke' is its miniaturized leaves that give the foliage a finetextured look. These small leaves are inherited from one of its parents, the dwarfsized Baptisia australis var. aberrans. However, the habit of 'Purple Smoke' is slightly larger, yet still compact, at 36"h x 48"w.

Family Fabaceae (legumes). 1996 introduction, seeding selected by the late NC Botanical Garden curator, Rob Gardner. Probably a cross of the North American native Baptisia minor var. aberrans and Baptisia alba. Vigorous, deer-resistant baptisia with charcoal-green stems and lupine-like flower heads of dusty purple. Planted in 2013. Early growth compared to my other Baptisia. It's at 6-8 inches while others are just emerging. Mt. Cuba rating 4.7 Almost dies in 2019, recovered in 2020. Almost back to normal in 2021.

Photo by F.D.Richards, SE Michigan. Additional photos of this plant from 2015, 17, 18, 20, 21:

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Thank you, Frank, and thank you, RJ! I remember admiring a plant of a friend when I lived in OH. I had no idea there was such variety.

Yes, these pics are very tempting.

I guess the next thought is to wonder if any of you are saving seeds to share/trade later on? And do the seeds of these cultivars make cultivar plants, or species plants? Being near the top end of the range, I'd hate to spend $ on a plant to discover that it can't take the heat & humidity here. But since I don't remember seeing any @ stores, that fear may be moot anyway.

crawgarden said:[quote="purpleinopp"]These are spectacular! Are they something one can grow from seeds? [/quote

Yes, I have a few that have seeded out.

Do they bloom the color of the parent plant? I've never tried to collect the seeds.

The only ones that have seeded out and bloomed for me is the wild blue type so far.

Baptisia 'Solar Flare' 6/2021 Baptisia- () False Indigo Baptisia, Mature size: 48x80", lemon yellow flowers, USDA Hardiness Zone 3, Michigan Bloom Month 6a, In Garden Bed N2,04 for 4.0 YEARS (Hallson). Planted in 2017.

Mt.Cuba Center: Baptisia 'Solar Flare' has an impressive floral display, with numerous 21" inflorescences; however, this cultivar becomes floppy right around the time it reaches peak bloom. Given the numerous options for a yellow-flowered Baptisia, it is hard to recommend 'Solar Flare' over cultivars like 'Sunny Morning', 'Lemon Meringue' and 'Screamin' Yellow'.

Baptisia 'Solar Flare' Prairieblues™ is a large hybrid Baptisia with lemon yellow flowers that develop a rusty orange blush, blooming in early summer on 2' long spikes over a mound of blue-green foliage. Overall the clumps can grow up to 4' tall and wide. (PP#20408). Mt. Cuba rating 3.9

Photo by F.D.Richards, SE Michigan. Additional photos of this plant from 2020, 21:

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All my baptisia disappear so it is nice seeing your plantings. That picture of Solar Flare is something else!

Baptisia 'Blue Towers' 6/2021 Baptisia- () False Indigo Baptisia, Mature size: 58x56", lavender blue flowers, USDA Hardiness Zone 3, Michigan Bloom Month 5c, In Garden Bed J2,02 for 4.0 YEARS (Hallson). Planted in 2017.

Mt.Cuba Center: Baptisia 'Blue Towers' is a large, yet relatively narrow, blue-flowered cultivar. There are numerous tall, violet-blue inflorescences, and the individual flowers are held so close together on the inflorescence that they almost look like an incredibly tall hyacinth flower. 'Blue Towers' is very similar to 'Ivory Towers' in
habit (58"h x 56"w) with a slender, vase-shaped silhouette and leafless lower stems. The emerging stems are also an attractive dark gray that fades to a lighter gray as they elongate.

Baptisia 'Blue Towers' forms a tall, 4 1/2' vase-shape clump with 20in. flower stalks that carry large periwinkle to lavender blue flowers in early summer. This upright form allows space to plant around it and the height makes for a great background plant. (PP#27088). Mt. Cuba rating 4.7

Photo by F.D.Richards, SE Michigan. Additional photos of this plant from 2020, 21:

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I never see one of the Tower series Baptisia for sale locally and if I see them online, they are usually sold out or too expensive with shipping. I like the upright vase shape of them.