Baptisia Lunar Eclipse
Inch-wide flowers age from cream to violet.
The inch-wide flowers of this selection are initially a light lemon-cream in color, aging to a medium and even dark violet, producing a unique two-toned color effect to the inflorescences like no other false indigo! The 15”-long inflorescences are held well above the foliage. Expect a three-week bloom from late May to mid-June (USDA Zone 5). Mature plants exhibit an open, airy habit with stout stems angled out at their base and no lower stem foliage. ‘Lunar Eclipse’ is a wonderful focal plant for any perennial border. Well-drained soils are a must. This complex hybrid was developed from Baptisia albescens, B. australis, B. leucophaea, and B. tinctoria.
Who Am I?
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Common Name:Lunar Eclipse false indigo
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Botanical Name:Baptisia 'Lunar Eclipse' PP25875
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Type:Perennial
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U.S. Native:YES
Cultural Details
TYPE
U.S. NATIVE
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Full sun
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Moist, but well-drained, fairly adaptable to many soils
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Drought tolerant once established
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4-9
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Late spring
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White to blue
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Fall
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Gray
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3' tall by 3.5' wide
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False indigos exhibit good to excellent disease resistance. A seed weevil will predate the seed, but this does not detract from either plant health or display value. The genista broom moth caterpillar (Uresiphita reversalis) can seriously defoliate plants of Baptisia, but this tends to be more of a problem in warmer climes.
What Makes Me Special?
Landscape Use
Origin
The Prairieblues™ false indigos were developed by Jim Ault, Ph.D., at the Chicago Botanic Garden from crosses made between 1999 and 2004. The selections were developed from crossing Baptisia albescens (formerly B. alba), B. australis var. australis, B. australis var. minor, B. bracteata (formerly B. leucophaea), B. sphaerocarpa, and B. tinctoria in various c ombinations. All parent plants and selections were grown in-ground at the Chicago Botanic Garden (USDA Zone 5b) during the breeding and selection process.
